


orion megalith

by sventeen



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Domestic, Multi, Possession, Voidchi, gay aliens idk what you want from me, theres misakou here too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2018-08-15 12:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 34,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8055520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sventeen/pseuds/sventeen
Summary: you ever go to the moon to save your boyfriend only to find out hes been possessed by space wasps???????????





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> the most self-indulgent thing ive ever written in my life lads

With the knights defeated, the seal had surely come undone. All that was left was to march into the throne room and save him.

As Kai started ahead, his footsteps alone echoed in the hall, and when he turned, he realized the others made no move to follow him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, y'see,” Naoki began, “we all talked about it a while back, and we decided that you should be the one who goes t'get him.”

Kai furrowed his brows. “But we fought to get here together. We should all go meet him together.”

“It’s cool!” Kamui exclaimed, “You’re the one who worked so hard to make this happen, so you should get to see Aichi-oniisan first!”

“Once you bring him back, then we can all celebrate together,” Misaki said with a smile.

“Just don’t get too mushy in there, alright?” Miwa chirped, “If you take too long, you’re gonna make us wonder what’s up!”

Kai sighed, a hint of a smile flashing across his face before he turned and started again. “Thank you, everyone. I won’t be long.”

The hallway eventually ended in a large, open room. A high-backed throne (if something so bare bones could even be called that) sat in the middle, and Kai circled around to the front of it.

There the boy sat, the one he’d fought so hard to reach, eyes still closed in slumber.

Kai reached out, fingers brushing his shoulder hesitantly, as if making sure he was real before grabbing and shaking. “Aichi… Aichi, wake up.”

It took a few moments, but the boy’s eyes fluttered open, casting a bleary glance at Kai before widening.

“I’m… awake?” His voice came out more like a squeak than anything else.

“You are,” Kai replied warmly, “We came to save you.”

“W-Why…?” Aichi grit his teeth. “I said I didn’t want to see any of you…!”

The taller boy’s expression fell. “I know. You said that, but we couldn’t just accept it. We didn’t know what you were trying to do, but we thought there must have been some way to do it that didn’t involve sacrificing you. Let us help you, Aichi.”

“No!” Aichi’s hands gripped the arms of his throne so tightly his knuckles went white. “No!! I don’t want this! Why didn’t you all just forget about me like you were supposed to!?”

“Aichi…”

The boy curled up on the chair, grabbing his head as tremors racked his form. “I hate you! Get away from me! I don’t ever want to see you again!!”

Kai stared at him, trying to process the words leaving his mouth. He couldn’t believe Aichi would say anything like that, yet just as before, it really did feel like him.

Though when he really focused, he thought maybe he felt something else, too. It was small, and weak, but familiar.

“You’re… not him. Not entirely.”

“I-I would’ve been…” he hissed, “I would’ve been!!”

Kai shook his head, taking his deck out from his vest pocket. “I guess I’ll still have to pry your fingers off of him by force, won’t I?”

Aichi laughed shakily. “Y-You think I’ll fight you? Like this? You must think I’m stupid.” He curled in on himself tighter. “I remember your strength. Intimately.”

“I’m not leaving until you accept.”

“T-Then you’ll be standing here a long time!” he snapped. “I’m going to live– I’m going to grow, more and more, stronger and stronger…! I want to exist!!” His head shot up, bleary eyes glaring daggers at the other. “I won’t let you destroy me! Not here! Not like this!” His voice became a shriek, tone cracking and trembling. “I won’t die! I don’t want to die!!”

It was… pathetic, really. That’s all Kai could think of to describe it.

The entity before him had once been powerful, powerful enough to nearly bring the world to its knees. Now it sat shaking, desperate, screaming– defanged, less like a destroyer of galaxies and more like a petulant child who hadn’t gotten its way.

“You’ll be cooped up here a long time yourself, then.”

“I-I don’t care! As long as I’m alive, it doesn’t matter!!”

Kai lowered his arm, hand still clutching his deck. “That doesn’t sound very fulfilling.”

“S-Shut up! What do you know!?”

A moment of silence stretched between them, and Kai finally stowed his deck away. Leaning in, he grabbed the boy’s wrist and tugged. “Get up.”

Aichi recoiled violently, tearing his arm from the other’s grasp. “Don’t touch me!”

“I’m not leaving without him.”

“I-I’m not giving him back!”

“Then I’m not leaving without you.”

Aichi’s expression softened, brows turning up, confusion mixing in with the anger on his face. “S-Shut up. Go away. You betrayed me. I hate you the most.”

“It’s lonely here.”

“I don’t care,” he spat, “I've no desire to mingle with anyone else. Once I get strong enough, none of this will matter. The time I spent here will be the blink of an eye.”

It hurt to admit, but Kai recognized the feeling– in his own memories, in his own past. At their very core, maybe the two of them were alike. Maybe that’s why it swayed him so easily. What it wanted, what he wanted… at that time, they were similar.

He reached out again, but didn’t touch the other this time, just extended his hand. “Come on. You’re coming back with me.”

Aichi stared at his outstretched fingers as if they were something offensive. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but I’m not going anywhere. Especially not anywhere with you.”

“Yes, you are. Everyone’s waiting for us.”

“Then go away. I don’t care about your weakling friends.”

“They’re your friends, too, you know.”

“Do you forget who you’re talking to?”

“If you won’t give him back, then you have to live as him until you do.”

Aichi narrowed his eyes. “You think I’ll play along with something like that?”

“I’m making you,” and here, he waggled his hand, “Now come on, Aichi.”

Hearing the other say his name made the boy’s heart jump, the other being in the back of his mind reacting even through his suppression.

Slowly, he reached out, taking Kai’s hand and getting to his feet. Side by side, they headed for the hall.

“If you think this will bring about some change of heart, you’re mistaken,” Aichi said lowly, “I’ll keep growing, and once I’m strong enough, that boy really will disappear.”

“As that time comes, we’ll fight, and I’ll bring him back.”

“I won’t lose to a worthless traitor.”

“If you say so.”


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sometimes games are just games

“Fight me.”

“I refuse.”

Kai shook his head. “For fun, I mean.”

From his position on the edge of his bed, Aichi scowled. “I won’t reduce myself to playing games with you.”

“Have you never thought to just play and enjoy it? Even once?”

“It’s one of my weapons,” he spat, “I won’t tarnish it so frivolously.”

“I used to think like that. Life got brighter when I realized it didn’t have to always be that way.” Kai climbed up onto the bed next to him and practically shoved his recently reassembled Royal Paladins into Aichi’s hand. It was technically his deck, after all– about time it returned to its rightful owner. “Just once, okay?”

Aichi stared down at the cards with a vague sort of disgust before thumbing through them, lingering on Blaster Blade Seeker. Finally, he huffed and swiveled around to face the other. “Fine.”

They shuffled and drew and began.

“How did you set it all up?” Kai asked as he rode and passed.

“Set what up?” Aichi rode in turn. "12."

"No guard." They exchanged checks. “You know what I’m talking about.”

Aichi snorted. “It wasn’t hard. Humans are too quick to trust.”

“So you lied to them. To Gaillard and the rest. To Kourin." A pause. "14."

“Of course. When their precious little saviour spun them a story about noble burden and self-sacrifice for the sake of his friends, they couldn’t help but eat it up.” He laughed, setting a card between them. “While he slept, I grew stronger. They did their best to protect him, but really, they were just protecting me all along-- one to pass."

“At least they did a poor job,” Kai said calmly. "Critical."

“Haaahh. You’ve picked up an attitude.” He smirked as he took his damage. “But you’re the one protecting me now, aren’t you, Kai-kun?” The other’s name rolled off his tongue covered in ten pounds of sugar, a sickeningly sweet tone that made Kai’s stomach turn.

“I’m keeping an eye on you,” he managed to clarify. “There’s a difference.”

“Oh, of course. Anything to make yourself feel better.”

Their fight went back and forth, though as the game progressed, the lead Kai had became more and more pronounced.

Faced with a Vanguard swing, Aichi glanced from his opponent’s field to his five damage and back again before grunting and dropping several cards between them. “Two.”

Kai revealed the first card– “Critical. All effects to Vanguard. Second check–”

A groan left Aichi's lips as he stared at the heal trigger with such disdain he hoped he’d gaze a hole through it. Without checking a heal of his own, the game ended. “I’m not used to this clan,” he grumbled, “and you were just lucky.”

“That’s what everybody says,” Kai said with a smirk, scooping up his cards and piling them all back into the deck.

Aichi gathered up his own cards and idly shuffled them for a few moments before growling. “A-Again.”

“Oh, now you want to keep playing?” He chuckled. “It’s fun, right?”

“Again.”

So they played again– and again– and again. They played well into the night, until Aichi could barely keep his eyes open, sleep threatening to swallow him whole. “I-I won’t… lose to… someone like you…” he drawled, shaking his head in a feeble attempt to keep himself alert.

“Well, that’s what you’ve been doing all this time.”

He waited for a retort, but nothing came.

Aichi sat there asleep, form drooping to one side. A faint smile crawled across Kai’s face as he gathered up their cards and placed their decks on the bedside table.

Carefully, he picked Aichi up and laid him back down on the bed with his head on a pillow– sleeping sitting up seemed awfully uncomfortable, after all.

Like this, it was impossible to tell anything was wrong. Kai’s eyebrows turned up, his smile carrying a weight he wouldn’t dare show the entity using Aichi’s body.

After brushing his teeth and getting into his pajamas, he flicked off the lights and laid down next to the boy. Though his arms ached to reach out and take him, to hold him close and rest just like that, he knew it wasn’t really Aichi. Not yet, anyway.

“Goodnight.”

(And yet, in the middle of the night, he wakes up to Aichi clinging closely, face buried in his shirt. In that moment, he decides that, for now, it’s okay, and wraps his arms around too. Though it feels like Void, more importantly, it also feels like Aichi, and that’s something he hasn’t experienced in a long time. Together, they sleep.)


	3. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kai realizes he has actually just adopted a stubborn toddler

Facing the wrong side of the window, Kai had woken before the other, shafts of early sunlight beaming in on him through the blinds.

Rather than bring the other to the land of the living alongside him, though, he got out of bed and stepped over to the stove, turning a knob to start one of the burners.

It’d only been a few days since Aichi– or rather, that thing using Aichi’s body– had shacked up at Kai’s apartment. In that time, he mostly slept, keeping interactions with Kai to a minimum.

As he rummaged around in the fridge, he remembered the night before, when he’d managed to convince Aichi to cardfight him for a while. He’d gotten a little bit of information out of him then, but it may have just been Void fluffing its bruised ego. He didn’t anticipate the rest coming quite so easily.

Setting the pan on the stove, he cracked a few eggs and let them fry as he diced up little green peppers on a nearby board and tossed them in. It didn’t take long for a savoury smell to fill the tiny apartment.

Aichi finally stirred, sniffing as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Mm…" His voice came out gentler than it had the night before, still laced with sleep. "Kai-kun…?”

Kai’s head snapped around to the voice, dropping the spatula straight into the pan. “Aichi?”

Aichi grimaced, wrinkling his nose. “Kai…kun. It just comes out like that.”

Immediately looking back at the pan, Kai plucked the spatula out, directing his crashed expression elsewhere. “That’s how he’s always called me, so…”

Aichi made an acknowledging little 'hm' before laying back down and closing his eyes.

“Are you hungry?” Kai asked.

“I don’t need to eat,” he replied lazily, turning away. “Not like you do.”

“But he does. If you’re going to use his body, at least maintain it.”

Kai hadn’t seen the other eat much in the few days he’d been around. It wasn’t that Kai hadn’t tried to feed him– Aichi was just difficult now, almost entirely unwilling to accept any of Kai's hospitality.

“I’m going back to sleep,” he grumbled, “I’ll eat later.”

Kai had heard those words quite a few times since they'd begun living with each other, and they always managed to tie knots in his stomach, as if eventually, they’d be the last words Aichi would ever say.

“I don't want you to go back to sleep,” he said, desperation bleeding through his tone. “Just eat already.”

A moment of silence, and the sheets rustled. Aichi sat on the edge of the bed and stared at Kai expectantly, his gaze interrupted only by a yawn.

Kai sighed quietly and continued, soon reaching over to turn off the stove before doling the finished product out onto two little plates. He handed one off to Aichi before sitting next to him, watching him poke curiously at it with his fork. Kai couldn’t help but snicker. “It won’t attack you.”

“S-Shut up,” Aichi muttered before bringing a forkful of it to his lips. He chewed it slowly, almost carefully, as if he’d never eaten anything in his life, before swallowing it and sectioning off another small piece.

Satisfied that the other had begun eating, Kai started on his own plate. They ate in silence, until Aichi said, “I can’t just stay asleep the way I did before, so stop keeping me awake.” He took another bite, talking through it. “I’d just rather be unconscious than deal with you.”

Kai mulled the info over in his head, really soaked it in. It could’ve been a lie, certainly, but… it did seem like an involved process. Void couldn't possibly get far into a scheme like that on Kai's watch. Rather than question him, then, he simply nodded, accepting his newfound relief before asking, “How’s the food?”

“It tastes awful.”

Glancing from Aichi to the plate and back again, Kai raised his brows. “Is that why it’s almost gone?”

Aichi said nothing at all, just shoveled more of it into his mouth.


	4. four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ring ring yes hello this is dog

Aichi’s phone vibrated noisily on the bedside table. His eyes opened briefly, acknowledging it with a glance before closing again. Answering calls from undoubtedly unimportant people didn't even make the cut on his to-do list.

The phone finally went still after a few buzzes, though almost immediately started back up. Ignored once again, only seconds passed before it began rattling anew.

“Not going to answer that, huh,” Kai mused from his spot on the bed next to Aichi.

No reply.

He leaned over to steal a look at the screen. Displayed in bold font was ‘Naoki-kun,’ complete with a silly picture of the boy in question. His stomach dropped. Considering Naoki, there was no way the phone would stop ringing until it was answered.

It was the first time since that day only a week or so ago that anybody had tried to get in contact with either of them.

—

“Aichi…!!”

The name spilled from their mouths at roughly the same time, echoing loudly in the hall.

Kamui was the first to act, dashing forward and practically tackling him. Had he been any bigger, he surely would’ve bowled Aichi over.

The others followed his lead, approaching Aichi and reaching out, grabbing whatever part of him they could and pulling him in close, smothering him in affection.

“We did it!! Yer back!! Safe'n'sound!!”

“You really scared us…”

“Give us a little warning when you decide to disappear next time, yeah?”

Kamui couldn’t even form words, just laughed through his tears as he clung to Aichi's waist.

They were too close, suffocating. Aichi shoved past, tearing himself free of their grasps and continuing alone down the hall.

Misaki frowned, looking over her shoulder at him before turning her sights on Kai. “Did something happen?”

“Yeah,” he said solemnly. “It isn't him.”

Miwa scratched the back of his head. “What do you mean it isn't him?” An awkward laugh. “Is this like, a game you two thought up in there?”

Kai shook his head. “It’s… that thing.” The name felt like lead on his tongue, his mouth struggling to form it, “Void.”

Kamui’s eyes widened. “W-What?”

“H-Hey now,” Naoki said, waving his hands, “that’s a real bad joke, Kai…!”

“It isn’t a joke. I don’t really know the details, but it can't do anything like this at least. I think I have an idea to fix it, it’s just going to take some time. For now, this is how it has to be.”

The group went dead silent. With just a few words, all the joy and energy they’d displayed just moments ago had been seized out of the air and turned inside out. Guilt’s little talons prickled at Kai's guts, and though it may have been a coward’s move, he started forward to avoid staring at their fallen faces any longer.

“I’m sorry, everyone.”

The only sounds, then, were the sluggish footsteps of the others behind him, and Kamui trying his best to stifle his crying.

—

Kai answered the phone in lieu of its owner, unsure what to expect.

“Yo.”

“Ah–! Kai? Could'a swore I was callin’–”

“You were. He’s just being difficult at the moment.”

Aichi grumbled and pulled the covers over his head.

“Ohhhh. Okay! Uh, hm, d'ya think I could talk to 'im?”

Kai didn’t realize how tense he’d been until his muscles actually relaxed. He’d been anticipating anger, though Naoki sounded calm enough. He brought the phone away from his mouth and said, “Ishida wants to talk to you.”

“And I don't want to talk to him,” the boy replied, voice muffled under the covers.

Kai sighed. “Hold on,” and he searched the screen for a moment before tapping it. “Okay, you’re on speaker.”

“Cool! Um… well, I’m…” He cleared his throat. “I’m one'a Aichi’s friends. I know you ain’t him and all, but… I kinda wanted t'talk t'ya anyway. I mean, in person, y'know?”

Aichi made no attempt to reply, or even acknowledge he’d heard the other at all.

“Y-Y'don’t gotta! I know it’s prolly not somethin’ you’d wanna bother with, considerin’… y-yeah. I just… well, I figured if it’s been a week and the world’s still okay, you weren’t up t'anything. I got some questions, but if y'don’t wanna answer 'em, then at the very least, I wanna meetcha once. Since yer… gonna be in his body for a while, I mean.”

Still no answer.

Instead, Kai took the reins. “He’ll do it.”

Aichi threw off the covers and sat up. “Don’t just volunteer me like that!"

“Wha? Uh, Kai, you sure?”

“I’m sure. You’ll just have to come over and get him. If I let him go to you, he might just run off somewhere.”

“Shut up,” Aichi hissed.

“Well, uh… alright, I guess! I’ll be there soon!”

The call ended, and Kai placed the phone back on the bedside table. “Go get ready.”

“I’m not going anywhere."

“You are,” he replied calmly.

“I refuse to be ordered around, much less by someone like you.” Aichi’s fingers dug into the mattress, sheets bunching under his nails.

“Aren’t you tired of being cooped up in here? You haven’t left this room since the day you arrived.”

“Because you’ve been watching me like a hawk! I’d love to walk out and never see you again, but you won’t let me!”

“Well, now I’m giving you the chance to spend some time away from me. I’d take it, if I were you.”

Aichi paused to contemplate the idea, turning it around in his head. When he put it like that... even if he had to be around someone else he couldn’t care less about, it at least wasn’t Kai Toshiki.

Without another word, he got up and went to shower.


	5. five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ever had a q&a session with an alien

There came a knock at the door, and Kai called out, “come in.”

Naoki stood in the open doorway, smiling awkwardly as he spied Aichi sitting on the edge of Kai’s bed. Stepping in and closing the door behind him, he looked around in confusion before poking his head around the corner and into the kitchen.

Kai glanced up from the dishes in the sink with a small smile. “Long time, no see.”

Naoki scratched his head. “S'only been a week, y'know.”

“It's just felt like longer." He rinses one last glass before turning off the faucet. "You’re the first I’ve seen since then.” 

“Yeah, guess I can see that. Haven't heard much from anyone either. Everything been okay here?”

“All things considered, yeah. He’s… hard to work with,” Kai replied. “You’ll probably see for yourself.”

From the main room, Aichi snorted loudly. “I can hear you.”

“Guess I better hurry up and get ‘im outta yer hair, then,” Naoki said, words punctuated by a jittery laugh.

Together, they left. Kai grabbed his phone and quickly pecked out, 'call me if anything happens,’ before sending it to Naoki. Hopefully, he wouldn’t hear it ring.

“So… uhhh… what should I call you? I mean, I know yer in Aichi’s body, but yer not really him, so…”

They followed the sidewalk without much thought– Naoki hadn’t really planned a destination.

“I don’t care. Anything is fine,” Aichi replied flatly.

“Oh. So I could call ya Mr. Fluffy?”

“No.”

Naoki grinned. “So you do care!”

Aichi picked up the pace, walking ahead of the other, who haw'd loudly as he caught up.

“Okay, here, how 'bout I just call you Aichi? Feel like maybe I’m breakin’ a law of good taste, but I see him when I look at'cha, so…”

“Alright.”

Naoki pouted before raising his hand and giving him a good slap on the back. “Don’t be so quiet!” he practically shouted over Aichi’s yelp, “yer gonna bum me out!”

A jolt had run through him, then, though he'd been too annoyed to question it.

Certainly, Aichi’d been looking forward to some time away from Kai. He didn’t count on that time being shared with someone so… obnoxious. Turning to face Naoki, he narrowed his eyes. “What do you want, anyway? He was your friend. I’m not. I have no interest in messing around with you like we’re buddies.”

With a sigh, Naoki smiled. “T-That’s true. And I know you didn’t really wanna do this anyway. Kai’s probably just worried about'cha. He’s had you holed up at his place all week, right? You could use some fresh air.”

'I’m going to keep an eye on him,’ Kai had said then, before the group parted ways, 'He’ll stay with me. Keeping him out of trouble is all I can do for now.’

“Then you should tell him I don’t need his concern, or his pity,” he spat, “he doesn’t seem to listen when I say it.”

“Heh. Sounds like Kai, alright. He’s got a hard head,” and he knocked on his own, for emphasis. “By the way, you hungry? Is he feedin’ you?”

“I’m fine.” Yet, as if on cue, Aichi’s stomach growled, and Naoki couldn't help the oooooooh that escaped his lips.

“Alright, c'mon!” He grabbed Aichi’s wrist and took off, practically dragging him along. “There’s a real good cafe down the street here!”

Aichi's first thought was to pull away, but something about the other caught him off guard– another jolt that raced from his wrist up his arm- something he quickly identified as strength.

Of course, Void was naturally in tune with the strength of things– of planets, of societies, of individuals- a skill it developed to separate those worthy of its 'attention,’ from those too weak to matter. This was how, not long ago, it had tracked down three certain fighters suitable enough to carry its will, eventually taking from them one Kai Toshiki.

It was an ability it had learned to turn on and off, one it had tamed and honed to a point, one it could use with astonishing precision. Yet, a boy made contact, and that simple contact had forced its ability to the surface with such supreme lack of grace Void could hardly believe it.

And that boy… was strong. It was a bizarre sort of strength, though– pulsing and crackling, like lightning, receding for moments only to strike again. Unpredictable, maybe a little unstable, but certainly there.

Void couldn’t remember the last time it had encountered someone like that.

By the time Aichi recovered, they’d finally stopped outside the little cafe. Stepping through the door, a jangling bell marked their presence, and a waitress quickly seated them in a little booth near the back. The place was small but warm, and Naoki settled in as if he were at home.

“They got really good sandwiches here," he said, passing Aichi a menu. "... Wait, yer like an alien, right? Do you even know what a sandwich is?”

Aichi huffed. “I have access to the memories of this body.”

“So y'know what it is, and y'know he’s eaten 'em before, but have you ever eaten one before?”

“No.”

“I’ll do the orderin’ for ya, then!” he said. “Not to toot my own horn or anythin’, but I got pre-tty good taste. Then again, s'lil hard t'go wrong here, so…”

“Uh-huh.”

The waitress came back around, and Naoki ordered the same thing for both of them, the name of which was lost on Aichi, who’d gotten stuck in his own head, staring off at a painting on the far wall.

“Hey, uh…”

Aichi snapped out of it, looking back at the other.

“Maybe this is kind of a weird question, but… it seems like y'got emotions. At least, enough to keep ya from lookin’ like a total robot. But'cher… nothing, aint'cha? How does that work?”

No reply came for a few moments, and Naoki raised his hands. “Y-Y'don’t gotta answer if y'don’t wanna. It was just somethin’ I noticed.”

“I’m not nothing,” he said suddenly. “I simply leave it behind.”

“Huh… then what are you?”

“A colony of microorganisms functioning together as a single unit.” The answer came out casually, as if it were something mundane. "The emotions are just a byproduct of my method of reproduction."

“Uh…” Naoki scratched at his neck. “What? Colony? Y'mean like… bees, or somethin’?”

“It’s a similar concept.”

“But if you’re made up of a bunch of little guys, how come you don’t say 'we’ and 'us’ and stuff?”

“I'm compelled to refer to myself the same as my host.”

“Do you usually take hosts?”

“No."

Naoki was quiet for a while, thinking about what he was told. Aichi stopped paying him mind entirely, looking around the room at everything, occasionally sipping at the contents of the mug in front of him– hot, dark, and bitter, but oddly satisfying.

“Why Aichi, then?” Naoki asked quietly.

“I thrive by assimilating strong entities into myself,” he started, “in becoming a part of me, I inherit their strength, and grow.” He closed his eyes. “I’ve wiped out dozens of galaxies before this. I thought I was the strongest being in existence. Nothing had been able to stop me. And yet, Sendou Aichi almost destroyed me. His strength surpassed even my own. I can’t simply let him escape, now. I won’t allow it.”

Naoki chuckled nervously. “B-But you’re not really gonna do that, right? I mean… turn Aichi into you.”

“I am.”

“Oh.”

The waitress returned, laying their food down in front of them. Naoki mustered up a smile. “W-Well, that topic’s kinda serious, 'n' I ain't real good at bein’ serious! So we should just eat!”

Though Naoki immediately dug into his sandwich, Aichi simply stared at his, as if studying it.

“Mmph? Somethin’ wrong?” Naoki asked with a mouthful of food.

“Why don’t you seem to care at all?” Aichi asked in return. “What’s the point of wanting to see me?”

Naoki set his half-eaten sandwich on the plate. “Well… huh. To tell the truth, I’m scared.” His smile went a little lopsided. “I’m really scared. Aichi means a lot t'me. I used t'be bored'a people, of life, of… everything. Aichi rescued me from that. He showed me there were things I could be passionate about, 'n' people I could give my all for. When he disappeared, I fought tooth'n'nail to get 'im back, but now it’s like…” He reached across the table with one arm, as if to grab the boy sitting across from him, “I can see 'im. He’s sittin’ right there. But it’s not him. I worked so hard t'bring 'im back. We all did, 'n' all we got was a slap in the face.” He laughed, lowering his arm to his side. “S'really just our luck, I guess.”

“Then why are you talking to me?” Aichi furrowed his brows. “Why are you wasting both of our time like this?”

“Well, 'cuz… 'cuz even though I’m scared, I trust Kai. He cared about Aichi the most outta all of us. There’s no way he’d make the decision he did if he didn’t think he’d be able to make it work. The others are still havin’ trouble with it, I think. But fer now, I’m just gonna believe in him, 'n' make the best of it 'til he comes through. That bein' said, though, I can't just avoid ya forever, so..."

Aichi shook his head before getting up out of his seat and starting for the door.

“W-Wait!” Naoki called, standing up himself. “Aichi!”

Hearing his name caused his chest to jump, stopping him in his tracks. Just like before, in the sanctuary with Kai, the other being in the back of his mind was reacting. It was strange– all at once, it made him want to vomit, and yet… it was suddenly warm somewhere inside of him.

He glanced back at the other. “What do you want?”

“Y'didn’t eat.” He pointed to the untouched plate still sitting before him.

With a sigh of defeat, he trudged back to the booth and sat back down, grabbing the sandwich and tearing into it quietly.

Naoki watched as it disappeared in the blink of an eye before grinning. “Guess even aliens can appreciate good food.”

“Shut up.”

Naoki covered the bill, and they left together, heading back towards Kai’s apartment. “Why didja tell me all that, by the way? Didn’t think you would.”

“I wanted you to know I'm nowhere near the human you knew. I wanted to hurt you.”

“J-Jeeze…”

“But you don’t make any sense. You’re in pain, but you don’t stand down. You’re stronger than I pegged you for, I’ll give you that.”

Naoki rubbed the back of his head. “Well, I guess that’s good? Ain’t the first time I've been told I got a talent for bouncin’ back.” His brows raised. “Hey, wait, that don’t mean you’re gonna try and absorb me, too, does it!?”

“It’s an idea.”

They stopped outside of Kai’s door, and Naoki waved his hands. “Nooo way! I don’t want any of that! I like bein’ me! But, uh, here–” and he held one of those hands out, “how about we be friends instead?”

Aichi wrinkled his nose. “I’d rather not.”

“Ah… guess it was worth a shot, huh?” He curled his fingers into a fist to knock at the door. “Either way, maybe I’ll see you again! Later!”

As Kai opened the door, Naoki waved before taking his leave. Aichi came back inside, removing his shoes at the entrance and immediately taking his usual place on the bed.

“Was it okay?” Kai asked. “Ishida can be a handful, but he’s a good kid. I hope you didn’t cause him too much trouble.”

Aichi didn’t reply, and Kai didn’t press the matter any further.

(In the middle of the night, Aichi's woken up by his phone vibrating on the bedside table. When he goes to shut it off, he reads, '1 New Text - Naoki-kun’ and grumbles as he opens it. 'hey! i know its late. i dont know if youll ever even read this. but the friend offer is always open ok? theres a cool arcade downtown we can go to and we can cardfight too if you want! hopefully ill be a challenge! night!’ He reads it over four or five times before sighing. It’s late, and he’s tired, but for reasons he can't deduce, something in him wants to reply. 'Goodnight, Naoki-kun.’ He then turns off his phone and lays back down. Humans are confusing.)


	6. six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which kourin does what every other character was probably wanting to do for two whole seasons

The door flew open, its handle slamming into the wall loudly enough to make Kai flinch from his spot on the floor.

“Kai Toshiki,” and she spat his name like venom, “where is it?”

Kai looked up from the cards laid out before him.

Kourin stood in the threshold, Misaki hovering behind her. While her expression reflected a special kind of fury she was just managing to hold back– eyes narrowed, lips a grim line– Misaki’s eyebrows turned up as she mouthed a silent apology over her partner’s shoulder.

“Where is what?” he asked in return, and she moved forward, strides straight and brisk.

“Don’t play dumb with m–” The entirety of his bed came into view, along with its current occupant. Her hands curled into fists at her side, nails digging into her palms. “You’re just letting it laze around? Just like that?”

“What? Were you expecting to see him bound and gagged?” he asked calmly. “Considering he’s even here at all, I’d say I’ve upheld my promise to watch him. The biggest threat he poses like this is frustrating the hell out of me.”

“The biggest threat is that it still exists at all. Do you realize what you’re doing?”

“It was all I could do given the situation.” He scooped the cards up and stacked them neatly in a single pile before getting to his feet. “I’m working through it as best as I can.”

“‘Working through it?’” she hissed, “How? By letting it control him like a puppet and pretending nothing’s wrong?”

“I just need time.”

“And so does it, a fact you’re apparently happy to ignore. And what about us?” She stepped forward, primed to act, only untensing a fraction when Misaki reached out to place her hand on her shoulder. Swallowing the lump of rage in her throat, she continued, “what about the rest of his friends? We all fought and suffered for his sake, too, and you didn’t even consider our feelings before doing this!”

From his place on the bed, Aichi chuckled.

—

Kourin checked her sixth damage, hand trembling despite her efforts to will it steady. A critical trigger.

Misaki looked down at her own field, unable to meet the other’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Forcing a smile, Kourin quickly swiped forming tears with the back of her hand. “It’s okay. I fought as hard as I could to uphold his will. In the end, that’s all any of us could do.”

“But now you’ll…”

“It was going to happen anyway, eventually,” she said, tone wavering just enough that Misaki could hear. “It was just postponed.”

Misaki shook her head. “I promise I won’t let it end like this. There has to be a way…” When she finally raised her head, Kourin could see the determination brimming in her eyes, and it stilled her shaking. “We’ll all figure it out together. You, me, Aichi, and everyone else. I won’t let you forget. Because you’re–”

Great blue flames leapt from their damage zones, joining together in the air, congealing into a swirling azure mass that descended upon Kourin with such ferocity it almost seemed alive.

The girl nodded at Misaki, smile growing just a little more genuine before the vortex swallowed her up. Though the fire bore through her, charring her skin and licking at her memories– of Aichi, of the Cardfight Club, of her wonderfully boring everyday life, of Misaki– she remembered, of all things, that silly school play she almost missed. It had only been a few months ago, yet it felt so far away now.

At that time, Misaki had trusted her, had counted on her– and now, it was Kourin’s turn.

If it was Misaki, she knew things would be okay, somehow.

'Thank you.’

And though the other’s screams tore straight into her, Misaki refused to cover her ears. She wrote the sound into her memory, carved it there forever– a reminder of a noise she’d be sure to keep Kourin from ever having to make again.

The flames receded, and Misaki ran to catch Kourin's collapsing form, leaning her onto her shoulder.

Kai moved forward, walking past the two of them towards Gaillard, who stepped out into the middle of the hallway with a smirk plastered on his face. “Take her back towards the entrance and let her rest there,” he said.

With a nod, Misaki turned and headed back to the opposite end of the hall. Naoki quickly jumped in to help, the two of them wrapping each of her arms around their shoulders and carrying her together.

—

Kourin glared hard enough at Aichi’s back to burn a hole through it. “And what’s so funny?”

“Huh, nothing much,” the boy replied lazily, slowly sitting up and stretching before getting off the bed. “Just thinking about how hard you tried to protect my sleep then, when now all you’re doing is disturbing it.”

“You– You played with me!”

“I don’t know why you’re so worked up. It wasn’t even the first time you acted on my behalf.”

She grit her teeth, but couldn’t seem to muster a response.

“Can you really blame me?” A gentle smile reached across his lips. “It was too easy to pass up.”

Fingers dug into the collar of his shirt. Kourin yanked him up by the fabric, easily holding him in midair, their faces level.

“Don’t you dare say that with his face! With his smile! He doesn’t deserve that!”

Instantly, the boy’s expression twisted into a smirk. “Beings with strong emotions can always be manipulated. Distorting those feelings to benefit you is child’s play if you know which buttons to push.”

Kai stepped forward, and without even turning her head, Kourin snarled, “stay out of this.”

“Yes, I can deal with this without some worthless traitor butting in," Aichi added, "at least that’s one thing we can agree on.”

“Shut up!”

“Such hostility. You should be thanking me, really!” He held up his hands, palms out. “After all, if I weren’t so graciously holding onto them for you, you wouldn’t even have–”

Her fist met his face, and his body met the floor.

Misaki sprang forward, taking the girl’s balled-up fist in her hands. “Kourin!”

At the same time, Kai rushed to Aichi’s side, acting as a barrier between the two. “That’s enough.”

“Are you really protecting that thing!?”

“Even if it’s not Aichi, it’s still his body. Don’t be so reckless.”

Misaki slowly worked her fingers into Kourin’s hand despite the tightness. “Come on. Let’s go.”

Kourin exhaled slowly before wrapping her own fingers around the other’s hand. “I won’t forgive you for this, Kai,” she said lowly, “I can’t.”

“I’m sorry.” He couldn’t look her in the eyes.

The two of them turned and walked out the door as Aichi got to his feet, nursing a split lip with one hand. “I said I didn’t need your help. What part of that did you not understand?”

“I’ve just never seen her that upset before.”

“You were worried? She’s about as menacing as a kitten.”

“Just… stop talking,” he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Clean up and go lay back down.”

He shrugged and headed to the bathroom.

(“Is it wrong?” she asks later, as they lay together on Misaki’s bed. “Is it wrong to value them so much? Is it wrong to be so attached to the things he gave me? The life he showed me? The moments I’ve shared with all of you?” and the other replies, “Of course it isn’t. If someone uses those feelings against you, they’re the one to blame. You’ve done nothing wrong.” Kourin buries her face in the crook of Misaki’s neck, and Misaki holds her close.)


	7. seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> be nice to your puppy

“So ya finally decided to take up my friendship offer, huh?”

Side-by-side, the two of them aimlessly followed the sidewalk.

“No.”

Naoki frowned. “Whaaat? Why'dja ask t'hang out, then?”

“I can’t leave on my own,” Aichi stated flatly, eyes fixated ahead. “If Kai-kun doesn’t want to go anywhere, you’re the only other person who’ll cooperate.”

“So yer just usin’ me to get outta Kai’s place for a while? That it?”

“Yes.”

Naoki hugged his own arms and shivered dramatically. “That’s cold!” He then grinned. “Guess I’ll just have'ta work hard 'n' convince you I’m worth it!”

“You can start by closing your mouth and never opening it again.”

An arm hooked its way through around Aichi’s neck. Naoki stopped in the middle of the walkway, yanking him close and headlocking him with a grin. “Don’t be like that,” he said with a proud little snort, “y'know y'can’t get enough'a my beautiful voice!”

Though he struggled for a moment, lightning shot through him as his body met the other’s. Naoki’s strength had flipped the switch again, and being that close made it impossible to ignore. It wasn’t overwhelming– Naoki was strong, yes, though not to that extent– but being so near to the source of that power still felt good, good enough that Aichi leaned back further into the other and closed his eyes almost automatically.

Naoki cocked his head. “Uhh… you okay? Y'didn’t just die on me, didja?”

“Fight me,” Aichi murmured.

“Eh?” Naoki loosened his grip. “Ya mean y'actually wanna do stuff with me now?”

“That’s what I said. Stop asking questions.”

Naoki gave Aichi a little push to get him upright before taking his spot beside him. “Well then, c'mon! I know a good place.”

They walked a little further, rounding a few corners and petting a few dogs along the way (mostly, Naoki pet the dogs, and Aichi stood around annoyed), but eventually their journey landed them outside a shop Void had so far only seen (many, many times) in Aichi’s memory.

“Card Capital!” Naoki said, pointing excitedly at the sign. “This is where we’d always play on the weekend, or outside'a school. It’s kinda small, bu… h-hey!” Aichi had walked past midsentence, the glass doors sliding open for him. “W-Wait for me!”

From behind the counter, Misaki looked up as she heard someone entering. “Ah, Ishida… and…”

Aichi stared at her for a moment before furrowing his brows. “It’s you.”

“Er, yes.”

Naoki glanced from one to the other and back again. “Have ya’ll met already?”

Aichi just smiled and shrugged before continuing to the back of the shop.

“What are you doing out with him?” Misaki asked, tone more curious than accusing.

“Try'na convince him t'be friends with me. I know that sounds kinda weird, but I feel like if I can get on his good side, maybe he won’t try to… y'know, destroy the world again, or somethin’.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Feel like it’s better than doin’ nothin’ at all. At the very least, I’ve been gettin’ info outta him. Maybe it’ll come in handy.”

Though her expression betrayed her concern, she finally nodded. “Just be careful, alright? Kai says he isn’t dangerous like this, but better safe than sorry.”

“Hurry up! Stop standing around!” Aichi yelled from the back.

Naoki grinned sheepishly. “Guess I gotta go tend to His Majesty. I'll be careful, promise!”

As the two of them sat down across from each other at a table in the far back corner, Naoki took his deck out and shuffled it idly. “H-Hey, wait, uh, before we start, I’m not gonna get Reversed or somethin’ if I lose, am I?”

“I’m not strong enough to do that without repercussion to myself. This isn’t even my own deck, anyway.”

“Phew. Don’t think I could'a accepted otherwise.” They set their starters face down, and passed their decks to one another to cut. “Whaddya mean repercussions, anyway? Y'mean like, it’d hurtcha?”

“Reverse fighters aren’t self-contained. They’re directly connected to me and draw from my power, like links in a chain.” He drew his hand. “The more links, the more branches the chain takes, the farther my power is spread, and the more strain it exerts on me. It normally wasn’t an issue, as I had more than enough strength to spare. As I am now, though, I can’t start another chain so recklessly.”

“Huh… s'good to know, I guess.”

They stood their Vanguards and began their fight. Naoki giggled. “Of all the clans you could be playin’, I didn’t expect Royal Paladin.”

“It’s Sendou Aichi's deck. Kai-kun gave it to me.”

“I figured, but… they’re all noble ‘n’ heroic, 'n' yer… well, you.”

“Don’t underestimate me just because it isn’t my own deck.”

“I won’t!”

Though their first match ended in Aichi’s victory, Naoki had certainly played well, and Aichi insisted on a rematch.

So they fought again. And again. And again.

Aichi got more and more into their games as they continued, voice getting louder, motions becoming more exaggerated. He even trashtalked, ego oozing out onto the table, and Naoki grinned.

“Someone’s havin’ fun.”

Aichi didn’t really want to admit it. It felt absurd, something like Void having fun playing games with a human without any strings attached. He could sense Naoki’s strength in his plays, though. Instead of passively feeling it while it was cooped up inside the other, not doing much of anything, now it practically spilled forth from him, racing all across the board. Aichi wanted to feel that power as long as possible, to soak it in and never let it go.

“Again!”

“Alright, alright, gimme time to shuffle, okay?”

Though Naoki did win a few times, Aichi was no pushover. Even losing was fun, though– seeing the other so energetic was kind of satisfying. Eventually, though, he leaned back in his chair and sighed loudly. “Think I’m done…”

“What? No!” Aichi protested, “One more time!”

“S'like the twentieth time you’ve said that.”

Standing up and knocking his palms against the table, Aichi leaned in. “You have to keep fighting!” The gleam in his eyes seemed a little maniacal. “Fight until you can’t see straight! Until you can’t even hold your cards! More, more!”

Naoki blinked before turning his head. The entire store stared back at them, and he coughed. “Uhh, listen, Aichi, we can fight any time we want, okay? So let’s call it fer now.”

Aichi frowned, but begrudgingly complied, scooping his cards up into a pile and sliding them back into his deck box.

Naoki waved to Misaki as they left, and stretched his back once they’d gotten outside. “It’s gettin’ a little late…” and their shadows were certainly reaching, to boot, “guess we should head back, huh?”

Aichi grumbled something that sounded like, “I guess,” before starting down the sidewalk the way they came.

“Hey, how come you tell me all the stuff you tell me, anyway?” Naoki asked curiously.

“About myself?”

“Well, yeah! I don’t ever expect any answers 'cause I dunno why someone like you would want someone like me knowin’ all that stuff. But you’ve spilled pretty much everything I’ve asked ya to. Why?”

“It’s not exactly sensitive information. Once I regain my strength, knowing how I function won't be enough to stop me.”

“You seem pretty sure'a that.”

“Because I am.”

Naoki chuckled. “Jeeze. You ever tell Kai any of this?"

“No.”

“Do ya tell Kai anything?”

“I talk to him as little as possible,” and his tone was biting as he finished, “I hate him.”

Naoki cocked his head. “But he helped ya, didn’t he?”

“He used my power for his own gain. Though he furthered my plans, his alliance wasn’t really with me. All he cared about was himself.”

“Huh… hey, don't that describe you, too?”

“Don’t compare me to him,” Aichi snarled.

Naoki just snorted and stuck his hands up. “Okay, okay! Someone’s touchy…” A sigh. “Buuut he ain’t like that anymore, y'know. He used t'shut others out all the time, or so I’ve heard. But I can tell ya myself he’s changed!” He scratched the back of his neck. “Well, I don’t think he’d be willin’ to help with the whole world-endin’ thing again, but… I can at least tell ya he cares about ya. Feel like he’d probably just keep ya locked up somewhere if he didn’t.”

“He doesn’t care about me. He cares about Sendou Aichi. There’s a difference. Even so, I don’t want or need his care in the first place. If I could run away and never have to see him again, I would.”

“Yer really pessimistic. Maybe if ya’d just act less like a punk, he’d loosen the leash?”

Aichi stopped, eyes fixated on a crack in the ground. “Hmmm…”

“What? Thinkin’ about it?”

No reply. Then Aichi broke into a sprint, disappearing into a nearby alley.

“H-Hey!! Wait!! Come back!!” Naoki yelled, running after him. As he entered the alley, though, he’d already lost him. “Shit… Kai’s not gonna like this.”

Eventually, there was a knock at Kai's door. He answered to a huffing, worn out Naoki. “What happened?” His eyebrows raised ever so slightly. “Where’s Aichi?”

“I… was hopin’… he’d be here!”

“… He’s not.”

The sound Naoki made then was some cross between a laugh and a wheeze. “Well… we got a problem.”

(Meanwhile, Aichi stares up at the towering skyscraper before him. He isn’t really sure what drove him to it– partially that all he knows are the places in his memory, partially that his feet simply seemed to take him there of their own accord– but the glass doors slide open regardless, and the Foo Fighter building swallows him up.)


	8. eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> miwa is in this one

Kai dreams of Aichi that night, of Aichi standing before him, of Aichi smiling gently as if nothing’s wrong.

“Did I make another mistake?” he finally asks.

“You did what you could, Kai-kun.”

After a long silence, the words leave Kai’s mouth slowly, deliberately: “Do you hate me?”

Aichi shakes his head. “Of course not.”

Kai can’t even look at him anymore, eyes flitting everywhere but his features, trying to find somewhere in the blank white void to focus. “But I– you’re–”

He sees Aichi move in the corner of his vision, feels him take his hands in his own. They’re warm, soft, just like he remembers.

“I could never hate you,” he says, voice full of a fondness Kai hasn’t heard in so long. “I believe in you. Whatever decisions you make, I’ll trust them.”

Relief washes over him, and though it isn’t enough to drown all of the guilt, it’s enough to bring his head up, enough to let him meet Aichi’s gaze.

Where his face should be, though, there's only a deep, dark hole, and from it comes a single sentence, spoken in a voice so layered with noise and static that it’s almost unintelligible:

“̡̞̖̗̩̟̺̼B̯̪̻͈͘ͅe̯͖͔̹c̪̞͖͉͕̝a̗̣̙͘ư̱̞se͚̲ ̱͖͔͈͟you͚̟̯̫'̟̖̫͕r̸̫̫̣e̟ ̣͉͘t̺̦̰h͚̖̩͔͚̪̭e̸̠͓̼̻̝ ̳͙͖̟̯̙͍͡m͈̳̠͚̩͉̖͝os̪̜̪̰͍͖͚͞t͡ ̮p̬̟̼̤̙̹̩r̩̼͈͎͎é̟̦̟̰̣̲c̬̦̪̠̠̩i̸ơ̮̞̦̱̰̫u̼̟s̬̯̜̗͓̝̤ ̥̖̻͝p̟͍̲èrs̻̦̰̕ò̠n ̷͍̮̮to͇͕͕̕ ͖̕m͉̦͔e̦͞.̨̻̬̮͖͕͈"͘

Kai’s stomach drops, and when his eyes shoot open, he’s back in his bed covered in cold sweat. Sitting up, he spies the alarm clock on the bedside table– 4:16 AM.

Carefully, he turns to look at Aichi asleep next to him. His face is thankfully in tact, and he sighs before leaning over and gingerly running his hand along the boy’s head, smoothing out a stray lick of hair.

"You’re okay in there, aren’t you…?”

—

“I’m going to see Naoki-kun.”

The words were a surprise, but Kai simply nodded. When the boy in question finally came, Kai waved Aichi off and sighed in relief at his ‘day off.’

Then, someone else knocked at the door, and when Kai opened it, there was Miwa, smiling sheepishly. “Yo, Kai.”

He let the other in, and Miwa took off his shoes before leading himself into the tiny apartment.

“Sorry I haven’t kept up with you lately. I figured you’d have enough on your plate getting you-know-who squared away without me butting in.”

“It’s fine. He’s not as hard to manage as you’d expect. He mostly just lazes around.”

“Really? Well, that’s good!” Miwa poked around curiously, even stuck his head in the hall closet. “Where is he, anyway?”

“Out with Ishida.”

“Oh? That’s a shock.”

“I’m not entirely sure what happened between them, but I guess there was a good impression,” Kai said with a shrug.

“And you’re not worried?”

“I told Ishida to call me if he ever thought anything strange was going on. I don’t think Void’s in a position to cause much trouble right now anyway.”

“Can’t be too careful, maybe…” He shook his head. “Oh, right! The reason I came to see you!”

“Yeah?”

There, Miwa’s voice got a little quieter. “Misaki told me Kamui’s not doing so well.”

“What’s going on?”

“Well…”

—

Shin called Misaki down for dinner, but before she could leave her room, the cellphone at the end of her bed started singing. The number she recognized as Kamui’s, but when she answered, the voice on the other end was certainly not his. “Is this… Tokura Misaki-san?”

“It is. And this would be…?”

“Ah, I’m Kamui’s mother. I don’t think we’ve met before, but I found your number in his phone, so I thought perhaps you and he were friends." Her tone warbled, as though she were trying not to cry. "He’s been acting strangely, and I’m trying to see if anyone knows what might be wrong.”

“Strangely? How so?”

“Well… he came home late one day a couple weeks ago. He was so exhausted he couldn’t even tell me what had happened, and I let him rest. He went to school for about a week, though he always came right home. He’s always been one to stay out with his friends, so it seemed odd. Now, though, he won’t even get out of bed. As of two days ago, he’s stopped eating… I don’t know what to do. He won’t tell me what’s wrong. I’ve never seen him like this.” She paused to steady her voice. “I just thought… maybe you would know what happened.”

Misaki’s stomach dropped as she listened to the woman, and eventually she inhaled. “I… don’t know the details myself,” she lied, “but I think I know someone who might. I’ll see if I can get him to help.”

“Oh, thank you so much. I’m just so worried, and I can’t take seeing him like this.”

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Immediately Misaki brought up her phone contacts to make a call of her own.

—

“She said she would’ve called you directly, but she was afraid of, er, ‘Aichi’ finding out. She didn’t really want him knowing. Thought it might complicate things.” He scratched the back of his head. “So she wanted me to come by in person and rope you off to tell you. She’s busy with the shop in the afternoons, so she thought maybe you could visit him and get him to snap out of it.”

Kai stood there quietly. It wasn’t until Miwa waved his hand in front of his face that he nodded. “Let me get ready, and we’ll go now, while Aichi’s out.”

Kamui’s mother answered the door about an hour later, and she let them in after they introduced themselves. She pointed them in the direction of Kamui’s room, and Kai knocked on the door.

“Kamui?”

There wasn't any answer, and he took the doorknob. It twisted easily, and he opened the door. “Kamui, it’s me.”

“And me, too!” Miwa chimed quietly.

They stepped in and closed the door.

There were stray cards and discarded clothing littered about, and the walls were covered in posters of robots and aliens– Miwa noted it certainly seemed like the kind of room Kamui would have.

The blinds were drawn shut, and only slivers of light from between them allowed the two to make out anything at all. On the bed was a lump of blankets and covers, curled tight and unmoving.

“Kamui,” Kai repeated, approaching the bed. “Are you awake?”

“Go away,” Kamui's voice came muffled from the fabric cocoon. “I don’t wanna see you.”

“Come on,” Miwa said reassuringly, “we brought something for you!” and he took some melon bread out of his jacket pocket.

“Whatever it is, I don’t want it.”

“Come out of there,” Kai said as gently as he could.

“I don’t wanna. Just go away already.” The lump shifted just slightly. “It’s your fault he’s gone.”

“He’s not gone.”

“Oh yeah? Then where is he?”

Kai looked around the room, as if searching for some magic answer. “He’s…” and he trailed off, glancing at Miwa, who only shook his head.

“See? You can’t even tell me.”

“I can’t tell you his condition for sure, but I know he’s not gone. I just… need some time to figure it out,” and he winced as what Kourin said the other day echoed in his brain.

No more words. Miwa sighed. “Your mom said you haven’t been eating? We brought a snack for you. You should put something on your stomach.”

“Not hungry.”

A long pause. “I don’t think Aichi would want you to do this to yourself,” Kai said quietly.

The covers flew off and Kamui sat up. “See!? You’re already talkin’ about him like he’s– like he’s dead or somethin’! Just admit it! Even you think he’s gone!” and he gripped the blankets as hard as he could. “We trusted you! I trusted you! I thought if anyone could bring him back, it was you!” His voice was shrill and cracking, and Kai couldn't look him in the eyes as he yelled. “But you… you turned your back on him! I thought you cared about him the most, but that wasn’t even true, was it!? And now he’s… he’s…!!” Kamui hung his head, form trembling, trying not to cry and failing miserably.

Kai couldn't think of anything to say.

Miwa stepped forward and rested his hand on Kamui's shoulder. “Hey, hey, ah…” and he looked to Kai, expression awkward, like he’d exhausted all his options in that one fell swoop.

Finally, Kai sat down on the edge of the bed. “It’s not like it doesn’t hurt me, too." The words finally came, and though he wasn't sure if they'd help, they were all he had. "I’m also living with the outcome of my decision.”

“Literally,” Miwa chirped, as if in an attempt to lighten the mood– Kai glared at him, though, and he quickly apologized.

“At the time, it just... felt like what I needed to do. And though I should’ve thought to ask you all before I did anything, looking back, I had no way of knowing what would’ve happened if I’d stepped away without him. I would’ve rather taken him back with me like that then risk some kind of trick splitting us all apart again.”

Kamui hadn't looked up at him at all, but he also hadn’t made a move or sound. Kai could only hope he was listening.

“And it really does hurt. It hurts being able to see him, and hear his voice, while knowing it isn’t him. And it hurts not being completely sure of what’s happened to him. But I trust him. I trust Aichi wouldn’t be lost so easily. And I have hope that we can all steer things so they’ll work out.”

Kamui sniffed, finally glancing up at Kai, but not saying anything.

“And y'know, you never really struck me as the kinda kid who’d give up on someone,” Miwa said, “so I don’t think this whole moping-in-the-dark thing really suits you! That’s just me, though,” and he offered the melon bread to Kamui.

Another sniffle, and Kamui took the bread, immediately bringing it to his lips and tearing a piece off. “J-Jeeze,” he mumbled, mouth full of food, “now you went 'n’ made me feel like a jerk…”

“It’s good to get your feelings out, though, right?”

Kamui nodded slowly. “He’s just… my best friend, and when I thought about livin’ in a world he really was missing from, it just… really hurt. It made me feel useless. Like I couldn’t have done anything to help him, even when he means that much to me.”

“I think all of us felt like that,” Kai said. “It’s a feeling we need to overcome if we’re going to make this work.”

“Y-Yeah… sorry for yellin’ at you, by the way,” Kamui said guiltily.

Kai smiled. “It’s alright. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Yeah, your mom was really worried about you, y'know? Only bad kids make their parents fret!”

“H-Hey, shut up!”

And once they’d gotten the boy into better spirits, they took their leave, reassuring his mom they’d cheered him up.

Miwa split paths with Kai on the way back to return to his own place, and Kai settled back on his bed at home and sorted through his cards.

Although Kourin’s words still stung, and the uncertainty of it all was still quite real, in convincing Kamui, he felt like he’d convinced himself a little more as well– of his decision, and of the outcome he knew he could attain.

Then Naoki came to the door.

Aichi was missing. There might've been the smallest inkling of panic tightening in Kai’s chest.


	9. nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its only as lewd as you want it to be

The Foo Fighter lobby teemed with a crowd that never seemed to get any smaller. As many people passed Aichi leaving as they did entering, and he stood there in the middle of it all, the shoulders of strangers brushing against his own over and over.

He’d ran from Naoki in a bid to avoid returning to Kai’s apartment, but Foo Fighter wasn’t an unfamiliar location to Kai, or to any of Aichi’s friends, really. Some part of him admitted it was a pointless move– he wouldn’t be able to hide from anybody here for long.

It wasn’t all bad, though. There was still something here he wanted to do, someone here he wanted to see, and it tickled like an itch in the back of his brain.

The elevator ascended floor after floor, stopping only at the very top and letting Aichi out into a large, sparsely decorated room. The far wall consisted solely of floor-to-ceiling window panes in front of which sat a large desk complete with cushy office chair.

It all looked very professional at first glance, though as he approached the desk, he noticed it covered in paper and stray cards and strange little toys, as though it belonged to a child. Of course, there was no way someone like _him_ could completely devote himself to keeping up such a business-like facade.

A dull whoosh came from behind, and he whipped around.

“Ah!” Ren exited the elevator with a smile, Tetsu following behind. “Aichi-kun!”

Aichi’s chest jumped at his name, and he made a move to clutch at it, as if to tell it to stop, before pausing mid-motion and shaking his head. “Er, Ren-san…”

Tetsu glanced between them. “You know him, I assume?”

Ren smiled and waved his hand. “Oh, of course! Aichi-kun and I go way back! I’m sure you’ve met him at some point! Maybe you just don’t remember?”

Tetsu made a contemplative sort of ‘hm,’ noise before nodding. “You didn’t tell me you were meeting anyone today, though. I’ll leave you to him.”

As he reentered the elevator, Aichi recalled that body’s memories of him. Of course they’d met– but even released from his binds, the world wouldn’t simply snap back to the way it had been before. It was a slow process, a gradual shift of elements. There was no telling how long it’d be before Sendou Aichi existed to the world as he once had.

Ren recalled everything, though, and that was all that mattered now. He sighed in relief and walked past Aichi. “So, what brings you here, Void-kun?”

The sudden switch of name forced a twitch in his brow, though he couldn’t quite understand why. He shoved the feeling away somewhere and huffed. “What do you think?”

“Ohhh, I see!” Ren plopped down in the chair and leaned forward, pressing one elbow against the table and resting his chin in his palm. “Well, I’ll tell you up front that I’ll have to pass on any scheme you’re about to present to me, tempting as it might be.”

“If I weren’t so weak right now, it wouldn’t matter what you wanted.”

“Scary, scary! You–” and he stopped, a curious look crossing his face as he reached into his pocket and took out his phone. “Oh!” He tapped the screen, holding it to his ear. “Kai! It’s good to hear from you. You don’t call me enough, you know? For shame!”

Aichi’s eyes narrowed as he listened intently.

“Mmm… missing, huh?” Ren leaned back so far in his chair, Aichi thought it might tip over. “I can’t say I’ve heard from him, unfortunately! Have you checked any of the card shops around town? … Well, I hope he doesn’t get into any trouble before you find him! You can do it!” and without so much as a goodbye, he hung up and righted his chair, unceremoniously dropping the phone on his desk. “Now, where were we?”

A smirk crawled across Aichi’s lips. “I’m glad you understand.”

“Of course. I wasn’t about to let anyone ruin our fun before it’s even started.” He smiled. “Besides, I’ve always considered it my job to keep him on his toes! Though it seems you’ve taken that duty up yourself, too.”

“I'm tired of being on his leash.”

“But you still paused your grand escape to visit me? I’m honoured.” Not a hint of sarcasm tainted his voice, though Aichi could sense it hiding behind the vowels somewhere.

“Can you blame me for wanting to taste that power of yours again?”

Ren giggled before hopping out of his chair. “That’s awfully forward of you. I’m expecting dinner, first, you know!”

“I’ll make you eat a loss. How does that sound?”

“Ohhh…” Ren circled around his desk and towards the elevator, patting Aichi’s head as he passed. “I guess breaking that attitude to pieces will be the appetizer, then– and so you know, I’m not sharing.”

Aichi hurried after him.

The floor they exited on was relatively small, with only a single table in the middle– a private fight room, from the looks of it.

“This can’t be your personal training floor,” Aichi mused.

“Oh, of course not!” He put a finger to his lips and winked. “That one’s still a secret.”

They took their places across from each other and shuffled their decks. “I hope you won’t go into this thinking I’m only as strong as I was back then,” Ren chirped.

Aichi replied with a snort. “I wouldn’t have ever considered you for that task if you were the type to stagnate.”

“Well then, I’ll try not to disappoint!” Ren said cheerfully as they set their starters.

As the game progressed, the other’s strength built and built, and with it rose Aichi’s anticipation, higher and higher, until it became nearly unbearable. He wanted to experience all of it, wanted to take all of the power Ren could throw at him, and he laughed dryly as he noticed his hands shaking just a little.

“Final turn!”

And just like that, Ren’s Vanguard made to strike the final blow to his own, like a shockwave filling the room. Cards dropped uselessly onto the table as Aichi’s legs gave out from under him, knees meeting the floor.

It was… overwhelming. Ren’s strength always had been, of course. It was the first thing Void ever knew about the man.

Whereas Aichi’s strength was great but gentle– a soft, dazzling light that calmed peoples’ hearts and chased away the darkness– and Kai’s was an inferno– a raging blaze that knew neither friend nor foe, requiring incredible control lest it destroy everything in its path– Ren’s was bizarre, and deceptively dark– a small puddle hiding an endless black sea with no bottom– a formless, murky thing that lusted for battle, for victory, for blood. Had Ren himself not been of such an eccentric character, and had Kai’s personal circumstances not fallen so conveniently in its favour, Void would’ve certainly approached him first at that time.

Back then, however, it’d looked upon that power from a place far above it.

Now, weak as it was, that strength wasn’t simply overwhelming– it was horrifying.

Aichi grabbed at his own arms, fingers digging into his skin. He could still feel the sheer force of that power lingering in his muscles, practically mocking him. It made his blood boil in some mixture of rage and excitement. If that incredible strength were his, reclaiming the rest of his former glory would be nothing at all.

“The loss must’ve been good– you ate it all before I could even taste!” Ren said with a smile. “Don’t tell me you’re going to just sit on the floor all day, though. You can’t have the second course like that!”

Aichi staggered to his feet and began resetting his field. “G-Good. More, just like that.”

They fought again, and again, and each time Ren’s power crushed him, it only motivated him to continue.

By the time Aichi first yawned, he hadn’t won a single game.

Ren’s watch reported a quarter to one in the morning, and he gathered up his cards. “Well, you’re no pushover, at least. I’d love to keep going, but fights are only fun when both players are at their best, wouldn’t you agree?”

Aichi scowled, but said nothing else, just followed his lead.

“So, you’re sleeping here, right?”

“What?” Aichi cast a wary glare at the other.

“You’re spending the night. Unless you’d like to wander the streets this late, that is, though don’t blame me if you get lost.”

“Rrgh. Fine,” he spat, “Have it your way.” At the very least, being cooped up around Ren didn’t sound nearly as awful as being cooped up around Kai.

Grumbling, he followed Ren to yet another floor, this one smaller still, furnished like an unusually typical bedroom. Bookshelves lined the walls, though more space seemed dedicated to video game boxes and strange little figurines than actual books. There was a desk, a dresser, a good-sized television, and a bed that appeared large enough to comfortably fit around four people.

“You actually live here, too… ?” Aichi asked off-handedly.

“You can do a lot of fun things when you own a whole building!” Ren punctuated his sentence with a yawn of his own, stretching his back along with it. As he headed for a door at the other side of the room, he pulled his hairband out, setting it on the dresser as he passed. When he opened the door, Aichi caught a brief glimpse of a bathroom before Ren shut it again.

Approaching the bed, Aichi awkwardly pushed against it with his hands, as if making sure it was real, before climbing up onto it and flopping down somewhere in the middle, not even bothering to climb under the blankets. The covers were thick and soft, and his head practically melted into the pillows– far comfier than Kai’s bed, for certain.

He heard the door open some minutes later, and rolled over to see Ren exit, naked aside from his briefs, uniform folded neatly in his arms. That, too, he set on the dresser, glancing up just in time to catch Aichi’s shocked expression reflected in a wall mirror hung right above.

“Don’t tell me something like this is enough to break your composure, Void-kun!” he said with a giggle.

Aichi huffed before curling up and closing his eyes, not even bothering to look up when Ren continued, “Here, I’ll be nice.” There came the sound of drawers opening and closing, Ren throwing on some old, faded shirt. Finally, the lights turned off, and Ren climbed up into bed.

“Those were some close games!” he exclaimed.

“Mm-hm,” Aichi mumbled.

“If you’d been using Link Joker, I would’ve been a goner!”

Ren was the one who’d insisted they sleep, yet now he wanted to be talkative. Aichi didn’t even bother to affirm the statement. In fact, it wasn’t until he felt he was being stared at did he give any indication he was awake at all, eyes slowly opening.

On his hands and knees atop the mattress, Ren seemed to be watching him.

It was a little hard to see, but Aichi’s eyes were quickly adjusting to the dark, and he squinted at the other. “What are you doing?”

“You don’t have the covers on!” he said, tone implying an innocence his eyes seemed to wholly lack.

“I don’t,” and he wondered if this is what it was to be studied.

“You’ll get cold, Aichi-kun,” and there was an emphasis on Aichi’s name that made the boy’s eyes widen with the sudden thump of his heart.

Ren moved on cue, like he’d been waiting for just the right moment. He threw one leg over Aichi as his hand moved to the boy’s shoulder to gently push him onto his back and into the mattress, straddling him at the waist, looming threateningly.

“Y-You–!” Aichi snapped, “What do you think you’re doing!?”

“There’s just something I noticed earlier, when we first met,” and his hands moved down to rest on Aichi’s chest. “I couldn’t help but wonder about it.”

“Get off of me,” Aichi hissed. The way Ren gazed at him felt predatory, like a cat playing with its meal-to-be.

“Aw, don’t be like that, Aichi-kun,” and he smirked as the boy’s heart jumped under his palm.

"W-Wait… you…“

"I felt it that time! What is that, Aichi-kun?” Thump. “Why don’t you tell me?”

Aichi narrowed his eyes and spat, “it isn’t your business.”

“Really? Because I think it is! It’s not nice to keep secrets, Aichi-kun.” Thump.

The reactions were getting stronger each time, though Aichi gave a flat laugh, trying to look unfazed. “What was that about a secret floor, then?”

“Ehhhh? What do you mean? I don’t remember that. Either way, that’s hardly relevant to our little discussion, Aichi-kun.” Thump– Ren could even hear that one. “So, why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”

Aichi grit his teeth, composure cracking. “I– I don’t know. I don’t know. It just happens. Now get off of me.”

“You don’t? You’re not lying, are you? If that’s the truth, then it’s no good!” Ren smirked as he leaned in close, voice low. “Maybe I can help you find out, Ai-chi-kun,” and his expression only grew more devious as he felt the other’s heart speeding up at each deliberate syllable, gasping in barely contained excitement as Aichi squirmed under him. “I think we’re getting somewhere already!”

Aichi’s heart simply wouldn’t slow, now, settling into a race that lit up Ren’s expression. His body slowly filled with static, like ants crawling under his skin, and tremors started in his limbs. Whenever he’d try to break away, Ren would push down on him harder and whine that name into his ear, sending shudders through him that wracked his entire body.

He really didn’t understand it at all. He really didn’t know what was happening. That being in the back of his mind, the true owner of that name– even sealed away, he reacted so strongly when called out to.

Void wondered if maybe it would lose there– if Ren’s voice would reach Sendou Aichi and drag him from the depths of his own body– if the frenzied beating of that boy’s heart signaled the stilling of its own.

If Void truly were dying, though, it didn’t feel so bad.

Warmth swelled in Aichi’s chest as the static became energy coursing through him, fizzing and popping and tingling, and he suddenly couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything but that feeling, thoughts turning fluffy and white as soon as they formed.

Even his ability to sense Ren’s strength went unchecked by the newly gained vacancy of his mind, and that strength began flowing through him. Outside of battle, it had just a bit less of an edge, and oh, oh God– he wanted it. It mingled with everything else going on inside of him, waves of some incredible force crashing against him over and over, and he could only stare up at Ren, ultimately transfixed, as the other quietly chanted his name, recited that strange spell.

Even though the distance between them consisted of mere inches, it still felt like too much, and Aichi reached up with trembling hands to grasp at Ren’s shirt and tug– closer, they needed to be closer. Almost automatically, Ren complied with his unspoken wish, lowering himself onto him, hands moving to take Aichi’s head, fingers tangling in his hair. He sighed as he heard Aichi’s quiet groan, and nuzzled his face into the crook of the boy’s neck.

All of that power practically engulfed Aichi, and he closed his eyes, breath as fast as his heart, entire being about to burst.

To Void, absolutely nothing laid beyond the three of them right now– itself, Sendou Aichi, Suzugamori Ren. It had never experienced anything like this before. The only coherent thought it could hold onto was just one unshakeable desire– to take all of their power into itself– to devour their very existences and mix them into its own– to feel them forever.

And then, just like that, Ren yawned and rolled away. “Anyway, I’m tired,” he announced. “Goodnight, Void-kun!”

Aichi blinked, staring up at the ceiling. It took a few moments, but his heartbeat slowed, and he ever-so-gradually regained himself.

In the aftermath, he felt dizzy and warm– but his existence and Ren’s were so far apart now, and that wasn’t right. After some hesitation, he rolled onto his side and inched close to Ren, until he could curl up against him.

“I didn’t peg you as the cuddling type,” Ren murmured sleepily.

“Shut up.”

“Did you learn anything?”

There was a long pause, before Aichi admitted, “it felt good.”

“Is that all?” The disappointment dripped from his words. “Well, as long as you enjoyed it, I guess that’s okay. I had my fun, at least!”

“I really don’t understand you.”

“Huh. You don’t?” Ren casually laid his arm out across Aichi, who apparently had no objections. “I always thought I was pretty easy to read. I mean, I understand myself perfectly!”

What a strange person.

They fell asleep together, just like that.

(Of course, the image of the entity that almost destroyed everything he knows rendered powerless beneath him is one Ren happily carries with him into his dreams.)


	10. ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some revelations

Stars slowly pass as Void floats in the abyss of its own mind.

Something’s calling out to it– not a voice, but a feeling.

Sendou Aichi hangs asleep in the space just before the points of light all die off, somewhere far, far away. Suspended at his wrists and neck by black rings, he’s less a person and more a forgotten puppet left to rot.

All Void has to do is think it– let me see him– and in an instant, it comes face to face with its most treasured hostage.

Even in his sleep, Aichi wears a faint grimace, brows twitching in discomfort. From his heart comes a deep crimson glow, and when it pulsates with strange life, quiet whimpers fall from his lips.

‘You poor thing.’ The words are spoken with a sneer as Void reaches out, pressing its palm to Aichi’s chest. 'You just want to hurry up and get on with it, don’t you?’ Its hand begins glowing just the same. 'I think I can give you that now.’

The light spreads out from Aichi’s chest and envelops him, becoming thick miasma that spirals around his body. Despite his state, he cries out in agony, but there’s no one to hear it but Void, and the echoes are swallowed up by the emptiness around them.

Of course, that great, brilliant light, Aichi’s strength, still exists within this body, even if Void can’t access it. It can feel that light bearing down on it from a place it can’t yet reach, its own power nowhere close to surpassing it, and its limit soon comes. The miasma recedes back into Aichi, whose features lighten, and Void notes that’s all it can do for now.

Though Aichi’s peaceful sleep has returned, he hasn’t been left unscarred. The fingers on his right hand are no longer skin and flesh, but some dark, ethereal substance that seems to just barely vibrate, like thousands of tiny gnats all clustered together.

The corners of Void’s lips turn up in a cruel smile, and its hands find Aichi’s face. 'It’s begun, Sendou Aichi,’ it says as a shiver runs up its spine, voice full of sick fondness. 'You’re becoming a part of me. It’s finally happening.’

It gazes at his sleeping face for just a bit longer, as if expecting a response, before letting go and turning away. 'I look forward to it. I hope you do, too.’

Everything falls away as Void resumes its dreamless slumber.

\--

The whirring of the elevator door stirred Ren from his half-sleep.

Kai Toshiki stopped at the foot of his bed, loosely crossing his arms. “I had a feeling you were hiding something.”

Ren yawned, eyes still bleary. “Kaaaiii,” he whined, “you should knock before coming in! Besides, this floor is password protected! How did you figure it out?”

“You still use the same password as back then.” Yes, the password to the ultra secret Foo Fighter hideout on the school roof years ago— ‘Ren Rocks.’ Honestly, he just couldn’t ever be bothered to remember anything new.

“Got me there.” Smiling sheepishly, Ren glanced from the snoozing Aichi still pressed up against him back to Kai. “Did you train him to do this, by the way?”

“He does it to me, too, in his sleep. I couldn’t tell you why.”

Ren giggled. “I didn’t know Void-kun would be so cute. Of course, he doesn’t compare to Aichi-kun… though, he’s fun in his own way." He idly curled a lock of Aichi's hair around his finger. "You aren’t mad, are you?”

With a sigh, Kai shook his head. “If you’d told me you had him, I would’ve trusted you to keep him busy. I guess asking for a little more responsibility is wasted on you, though.”

“Responsibility sounds booooring. I’ll have none of it!”

“Well, you’ve had your fun with him. I’d like to take him home, now.”

“Awww. I don’t think he’s gonna like that.” Still, Ren sat up and took Aichi’s cheek between his thumb and the side of his forefinger, tugging at it. “Void-kun! It’s morning! Time to wake up!”

Aichi grunted, eyes fluttering open. “Let go.”

Ren did as ordered, much to Aichi’s surprise. Before he could do or say anything else, though, his eyes stopped on Kai, and he flipped onto his stomach to bury his face in the pillows.

“Come on,” Kai insisted.

“I’m not going back with you,” came Aichi’s muffled reply.

Kai rounded the bed, leaned down, and scooped Aichi off the mattress with ease. Though the boy struggled, Kai held him fast.

“Put me down!! Don’t— Don’t touch me!!”

“Aichi.”

Aichi’s fight left all at once with the jump in his chest, and he growled. “I can walk,” he muttered, “so put me down.”

Kai propped him up on his feet, and he instantly started for the elevator.

“Void-kun!” Ren called, “let’s cardfight again soon, okay?”

Aichi half-heartedly raised his hand without even glancing over his shoulder at the other. At the very least, he registered Ren’s comment, and that was enough for him.

“See you,” Kai said before following Aichi’s lead.

Ren just smiled at them until they left before flopping back down and going back to sleep.

The two walked in silence towards the apartment, Kai always keeping just a few steps behind Aichi, who refused to walk side by side with him, refused to even acknowledge his presence.

“You know,” Kai finally said, “I was worried about you.”

“You're a liar.”

“I mean it.”

“You don’t,” he spat, “you weren't worried about me, you were worried about what I would do. You were worried about him.”

“I was worried about those things. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t also worried for you.”

Aichi stopped in his tracks, whipping around to face the other. “What’s the point of this act? What’s the point of pretending you care? Whether you do or not won’t change anything— so why bother? Do you really think you can accomplish anything like this?”

“It’s not an act.”

Aichi narrowed his eyes. “Suppose it isn’t, then. Why? Why would you care? What reason do you have to do something like that? For something like me?”

Kai was quiet for a moment, the words taking their sweet time traveling from his brain to his mouth. As they finally dropped from his tongue, he grimaced like he'd just tasted something bitter. “You and I are alike.”

It wasn’t an answer Aichi was expecting, really, nor was it one he liked hearing— being likened to Kai Toshiki, of all people, struck him the wrong way, and the trouble he had processing it showed in his falling expression. “That’s…” He grit his teeth. “Don’t compare me to you.”

“I wish I couldn’t. But buried inside of me is a monster who values strength, and only that.” He kept his eyes trained on Aichi’s despite the discomfort in his gaze. “A monster who would gladly hurt even those who hold it close to become stronger. All it wants is to grow, and destroy everything that would stop it. At my very core… that’s what I am. The same as you.”

Aichi stared at him. Of course, that lurking lust for power was what drove Void to use Kai in the first place. To know Void reminded Kai of himself, though, to know Kai thought them so similar– that was the last thing it wanted.

“Really, I wish I didn’t see any part of myself in you,” Kai said solemnly. “This situation wouldn’t be so hard, then.”

“No matter how alike you feel we are, I don’t need your pity, or your sympathy. I am a God,” Aichi hissed, “And you… you're lower. Almost worthless. You exist only to benefit me, to help me grow stronger— that’s all. We’re on entirely different levels.”

Kai smiled, small and crooked. “That’s exactly how I thought of you then, too.”

Aichi’s eyes widened, and he became aware of his fingernails pressing into his palms. Without another word, he turned back around and started down the sidewalk again.

Kai simply followed suit. He half expected the other to make another break for it, or to at least try and lose him, but eventually they wound up back at Kai’s apartment just as planned.

After slipping off his shoes, Aichi immediately headed for the bed, crashing into it and curling up, face to the wall.

Kai said and did nothing in response to the silent tantrum, just took to milling about as usual— organizing cards, catching up on the piles of schoolwork Miwa had saved for him, fixing lunch (for the both of them, though he figured Aichi would have none of it).

“If we’re so similar, why didn’t you understand?”

The question came as Kai sat at his desk, poring over a History textbook. “What do you mean?” he asked, without looking up.

“We had the same goal. We both wanted to be strong— stronger than anybody. You kept me from reaching your heart, though. You used my power as a means to your own end. Why? Shouldn’t you have understood?”

“You’re not making any sense. In being stronger than anybody, I wanted to be stronger than you, too. Cooperation was impossible. You shared your power with me, and I saw it as an opportunity. Your desires were never in my equation, just as mine or anyone else’s were never in yours.”

“That boy— my proxy— surely, he told you what I planned to do with the fighters you Reversed. You would’ve become a part of me in the end, too. In doing so, both of our goals would have been fulfilled.”

Kai casually turned a page. “Losing my self-awareness would’ve rendered it pointless for me.”

Aichi had no response, and Kai read a few more paragraphs before continuing, “are you really so upset? I never imagined an entity like you would have such an extent of emotion.”

“I spent millions of years growing and evolving only to have it all ruined in an instant. Of course I'm upset.”

“No, what I mean is— are you really so upset over losing me?”

Aichi bristled and cried, “shut up!” a little louder than he’d intended.

Sighing at his outburst, Kai grabbed the book and moved from the desk to the bed with it, sitting up against the wall and balancing it against his knees.

Aichi inched as far away from him as he could, practically hanging off the edge of the mattress.

Still, the bed wasn’t so big, and Kai easily reached out and ran his palm along the other’s head.

In reply, Aichi curled in tight on himself. “What are you doing?”

Despite the other’s cringing, Kai repeated the motion, gingerly stroking Aichi’s hair. “Whenever he came to me feeling scared, or upset, or worried, this always calmed him down.”

“I’m not him,” and yet, it did feel good, as much as he hated to admit.

Had he continued to protest, Kai would’ve gladly stopped. He watched the other’s body relax, though, and smiled. “Seems you like it just the same.”

Aichi only huffed, as if this were some privilege he was granting begrudgingly.

Kai returned to studying, idly petting Aichi all the while. Whenever he’d stop to think about it, it felt more and more surreal. Peaceful moments between them generally only existed when Aichi wasn’t awake to complain. In fact, he’d almost begun to think the other actually had fallen asleep when a question broke the silence.

“Why keep me around, then? I’ll undoubtedly become strong again. Stronger than you, even. Why care for your worst competition?”

“Because even if that’s what I am deep inside, there are still other facets of myself, ones that want to trust, and help, and love. Aichi showed me I could believe in those other parts of me.” Closing his eyes, Kai leaned his head back against the wall. “I can’t get rid of that monster, or even pretend it doesn’t exist— but I can tame it. He showed me that I could grow stronger alongside others, instead of at their expense. And I guess… when I see what I used to be in you, it makes me want to help you, too.”

Though Kai couldn’t see it, Aichi furrowed his brows. “You’re the last person I need help from. Besides, you’re just suppressing yourself like that. How can that be fulfilling at all?”

“Ha… maybe that’s true. I’d say having friends you can rely on makes for a far more fulfilling path, though. A lot more can be done cooperating with others than opposing them, or rejecting them. It’s made my life feel a lot less empty.”

“If you’re shoving your true nature away somewhere, it’s pointless. It’s something a lot of beings in this universe do, too. I don’t understand.”

Kai turned the words around in his head. It took a moment to piece things together, but when it clicked, he finally said, “So you Reverse them.”

The smirk on Aichi’s face was audible as he spoke. “Don’t get the wrong impression. Reverse is less about helping them and more about helping myself. Strong beings tend to resist giving themselves to me, and it complicates things. My energy amplifies all the dark feelings and desires they keep bottled up, though. Many want to be stronger at any cost, even giving up their existences to become part of one far more powerful. Others simply offer themselves up so they might never be burdened with thinking or living again. Regardless, it makes things much smoother for me.”

Finally removing his hand from Aichi’s head, Kai mused, “And you thought I’d be so taken I’d do the same.”

“That was the plan. If I’d known how it would’ve worked out, though, I would’ve approached someone else.” A terrible question rose in Aichi’s mind as he thought on it, and he continued, “if what you say is true, that you’re holding back those desires, then reaching your heart would be child’s play. To prevent that, you’d have to let all that darkness come back out. You’d have to regress. What would you do, Kai-kun?”

It wasn’t a situation Kai had thought about. After all, he was to make sure it never happened again. Thinking about it sent chills racing down his spine, and he shook his head. “Try asking that again when you actually stand a chance at beating me,“ and he closed his textbook to punctuate his words.

Aichi giggled, like he knew something Kai didn’t, before raising his hand and waving it dismissively. “Right, right… I’ll have to work hard, then.”

That giggle replayed in Kai’s mind once or twice before he tossed it out. If Void were in a position to do anything, it would’ve acted by now. He wouldn’t let it shake him.

He set the book down on the bedside table and got to his feet. “Do you like playing Vanguard with Ishida?”

Aichi rolled over to look at him, though all he got was a view of his back. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Answer me, Aichi.”

Thump. Aichi grumbled before murmuring, “Yes. But only because–”

“Does it make you happy?”

Happy? Only one thing ever made Void truly happy. Consuming and growing, that was the only form of pleasure Void needed– yet…

“It… does.” Cardfighting Naoki made his heart race, far faster than he would’ve ever guessed. Even though he couldn’t absorb him just yet, just feeling his plays excited him, just being across the table from him was enough. “A little.”

“That’s good.”

Aichi just huffed before rolling over to face the wall again.

Kai took off his glasses and set them on top of the book before heading to the restroom to wash up.

(They say nothing else to each other that day. When Kai wakes up in the middle of the night, Aichi is cuddled close. Half-asleep, he wonders if he’s not the only one keeping things buried.)


	11. eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a tournament arc? in MY fanfic? its more likely than you think,

“A tournament?” Aichi asked, leaning in to read the poster stuck up outside Card Capital. “Today? Is this the ‘surprise’ you texted me about?”

“Yeah!” Naoki said, “S'kind of a special one, actually… Kai arranged it.”

Aichi wrinkled his nose. “I’d rather not participate in something he organized.”

“W-Well, no, it wasn’t juss him, I helped a little too! I mean, we did it fer you!”

“For me?”

“Yeah! You’ve never competed in a tournament before, right? S'pretty far below, uh, war, but it’s a lot more serious than casual games! So we thought maybe you’d have fun with it!” Naoki tugged Aichi’s wrist towards the door. “Plus, there’s some people here who wanna meetcha! Or I guess, re-meetcha…”

More of Sendou Aichi’s friends?

“Are they strong?”

“W-Well, yeah, but also a lot of other things that are way more important than that! Here, c'mon!!”

As they entered the shop, the chatter of the crowd filled their ears. The place was teeming with people– some Aichi recognized, some he didn’t– all fighting or talking or just hanging around.

Kamui looked up from a game to grin and wave. “Ah!! Ishida-senpai!!”

Naoki returned the gesture before looking over to Misaki sitting behind the counter. “You not participating?” he asked.

“I am,” she said, taking the sign-up sheet and holding it out, thumb marking her name on the list. “Shin should be back before we start.”

“Ooh, nice! Juss wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t playin’, y'know? … Uh, y'got a pen, by the way?”

Misaki handed one over, and the two of them jotted down their names.

Aichi ran through the list of entrants in the meantime. A few of the names stuck out to him, mostly background losers in the pages of this body’s memories– nobody important. Kai’s name was suspiciously absent, and he looked up and around for him, as if to confirm it. As suggested, he wasn’t there at all, and Aichi hoped it stayed that way.

There was also… huh. 'Sendou Emi.’ That boy’s sister. If her memories had come back, there might be trouble if they met… but they probably hadn’t yet, and with so many participants, they probably wouldn't even be paired. No use in worrying over it.

Honestly, it wasn’t an impressing roster so far. Crushing weaklings was only entertaining for so long– it certainly didn’t compare to the rush of facing someone strong, and he really wasn’t looking forward to doing it over and over all day. What a waste of time.

Naoki had mentioned people wanting to meet him, but nobody came around, and starting small talk with that boy’s friends sounded like a chore. They’d have their conversation if they fought. Instead, Aichi hung around the door for the next hour, watching people come and go, some adding their name to the growing list. Nobody stood out to him, though, and each time, he’d sigh and go back to prodding at the little cat on the counter, laughing to himself as it hissed and swiped and bit at him.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t torment Sub-Manager,” Misaki said threateningly, the cat taking its cue to flee and curling up on Misaki’s lap in a tense heap.

Aichi shook his hand, covered in tiny marks and red lines. “I’d say I was the one being tormented."

Misaki simply glared at him before returning to her work, and Aichi snickered before bringing his hand to his lips and idly licking the thin traces of blood from his scratches.

The tournament was five minutes from starting when the door slid open and Miwa rushed in. “Yooo!! Nee-chan!” he called through his panting, “I told you we’d make it!! There’s still room, right?”

“It figures you two would get here this late,” she said playfully, handing over the sheet and a pen.

“Thanks!” Miwa got to work writing his name down, and Kai entered the shop just as he finished, obviously in far less a hurry than his friend. “Oi! Here!” and he passed the pen off to the other.

Great. He made it after all. Aichi laughed, sidling up next to him. “So you didn’t run away at the idea of fighting me in a competition, hm?”

“Of course not. Considering our current match record, I don't have much to fear.”

“Oh? All the games we’ve played until now were warm-ups. If you want me to be serious, then that’s what I’ll show you.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” he said with a smirk.

Aichi parroted the expression. More than anything now, he wanted to put Kai in his place. Let alone the shop, he’d go through all the weaklings in the world to do it.

(The pairings are posted, and the tournament begins. The first couple games are nothing at all– quick wins against total nobodies– but when the third match comes up, Aichi narrows his eyes as he reads and rereads the sheet on the wall.

Round Three– Sendou Aichi vs Sendou Emi.)


	12. twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lets play pretend

“What do you mean there’s no way to switch who I fight!? What sort of flawed system is this!?”

“W-Well, if everyone could juss choose who they fought, then you’d have the same people facin’ off over ‘n’ over… y’don’t gain any experience that way, y'know?”

“I can’t fight Sendou Aichi’s sister!” Aichi cried, shoving his face into Naoki’s as his voice rose louder. “I can’t even interact with her! I can’t risk it! I refuse!!”

Naoki inched back, holding his hands up defensively. “J-Jeeze, c'mon, it can’t be that bad, can it? I mean, she’s gonna remember eventually anyway, right? Whasso bad if it’s sooner instead'a later?”

“She’ll remember _him,_ ” Aichi hissed.

“… R-Riiight… well, uh, if it’s that bad, you could always drop ou–“

“No.”

Naoki scratched awkwardly at his neck. “But there ain’t much else you can do about it…”

“This was planned,” Aichi snarled, “this is exactly the kind of situation he wants me in– anything to make existing this way harder. That’s it, isn’t it?”

“N-No, I swear, it ain’t! He didn’t do anything with the matchups, it’s random!” Naoki racked his brain, wondering if he could produce any idea to calm Aichi, when his eyes lit up in an instant, a bulb going off in his brain. “I got it,” he said, leaning in, “just act like the real Aichi! Then if she remembers, she won’t think anything’s up!”

A grimace worked its way across Aichi’s face. Void was hoping it'd be able to avoid that-- pretending to be so sincere made its stomach churn. Unfortunately, it had to admit Naoki’s idea seemed like the only viable option. If it could just play up that boy’s persona and make a convincing enough story for his absence until it’d secured the win, it should be more or less home free.

He finally took to the fight table opposite the young girl who seemed so familiar and yet like a stranger all at once. She greeted him with a chirped, “hi!” but he only concerned himself with shuffling, hardly sparing her even a glance in reply.

After they finished setting up and stood their Vanguards, she took the first move. She rode and passed, and as Aichi rode in turn, he felt her gaze on him.

“Is something wrong…?” he asked, forcing a faint smile.

“Oh! No, I was just thinking… we have the same last name, don’t we?”

—

It was a guest bedroom. That’s all it ever had been, as far as Emi could remember. A desk and chair, a side table, and a bed, all kept neat and virtually untouched, save for the occasional dusting.

The Sendous didn’t have guests over very often. Really, the only person who ever spent the night was Mai, and she would sleep in Emi’s room. Regardless, it was a guest bedroom. Just in case.

Sometimes, without thinking much of it, Emi would open the door and peek in, as if expecting to see someone. It felt like part of a routine she’d been ignoring, even though she’d never made a habit of it before.

“Looking for someone?” her mom would ask playfully. Emi always giggled, but some part of her felt like the answer was ‘yes.’

Then the day came when the room changed. The bed came unmade, a clock and calender and various posters all shared space on the wall, cards and stray paper and loose pencils cluttered the desk– but it was just a guest bedroom, right?

Emi thought it was some prank planted by her mom, a jab at her for always checking. When Shizuka couldn’t identify the items herself, though, they both realized something was strange.

“What are we supposed to do with all of it?” Emi asked.

“It’d be an awful waste to throw it all out, wouldn’t it?” Her mom replied, carefully tidying up what she could of the room.

“Um… it’s kind of silly, but…” Emi picked a card up from the floor and turned it over in her hands. “I feel like it’s waiting for somebody.”

Of course it was silly, but Shizuka couldn’t deny having that same feeling. “Well, if you think we should leave it be, then we’ll do that, alright?” she replied. “Who knows, maybe it’ll attract the person you were looking for!”

That was just a couple of weeks ago, and still, they waited.

—

“I noticed that too,” Aichi said, flashing a sheepish smile. “Pretty weird coincidence, huh?”

“Mmm… I guess so…” Her tone made it clear something still felt off, but their next several turns proceeded as normal.

“Are you sure we don’t know each other?” she asked.

“I don’t think so… I mean… maybe we’ve just seen each other around the shop?”

“But… you really are familiar!”

“I, uh… I’m sorry…”

She seemed to take on a different atmosphere then, placing her cards and making her moves with a determination that seemed unreal coming from such an unassuming kid. From the memories of his host, Aichi realized this girl wasn’t going to let up until she had an answer that satisfied her– and this fight would undoubtedly grant one before its end. All he could do was meet her plays, something he found himself doing in earnest.

Really, he should’ve expected Sendou Aichi’s sister to be at least this strong.

Though their fight went back and forth, each of them grabbing what lead they could and smashing the other’s in turn, Aichi knew he had the advantage.

“One to pass,” Emi declared, placing her guards between them.

The first check– Blaster Blade. He knew it would show itself sooner or later.

Emi seemed to freeze up, transfixed by the card.

Then, understanding. “Wait, that’s… you’re…!”

The second check– Seeker, Hallowed Breath Dragon. A critical for game, yet Emi had already dropped what little remained of her hand onto the table to run around and practically tackle Aichi.

“Where did you go!?” she cried, voice muffled by his shirt. “You just disappeared…! Mom and I were so worried about you!”

Aichi stared down at her, fighting his first impulse to shove her away. “I had… something to do,” he said softly. “But it’s all right. I’m here now, okay?”

She sniffed and looked up, swiping brimming tears with the back of her hand. “Well, next time you run off, tell us first!”

“I will, I will!”

“You promise?”

The smile at his lips came easier than he’d expected as he patted her head. “I promise.”

She mirrored his expression as she let go and ran to the counter to report the match’s outcome.

With a sigh of relief, Aichi reached up with finger and thumb to massage between his eyes.

A hand grabbed his shoulder, and a jolt caused him to start.

“Ah! Man, yer tense!”

He spun around to face Naoki. “Don’t do that,” he snapped.

“Hehe, sorry… uh, how’d it go? Did she…”

“She remembered.”

“And?”

“I don’t think she suspects anything.”

“That’s good, then…” He rubbed his chin. “Good fer you, I mean. Prolly not so good fer everyone else…”

Aichi snorted. “You’re the one who suggested it.”

“Don’t remind me!” His eyes darted over Aichi’s shoulder. “Look, she’s runnin’ back over!”

Turning again, his features lightened instantly as he came to face Emi.

“You’re coming back home after this, right?”

“Ahhh… about that…” and he motioned across the room with a jut of his shoulder, towards a certain person still fighting, “I’m staying with Kai-kun right now.”

“But you haven’t been home in forever! I know Mom would want to see you too!”

“I’m, uh… helping him with something, though, and I really can’t…”

Emi pouted. “Helping with what?”

“Uh… it’s…” Aichi really wasn’t prepared for persistence.

“Can you not tell me?”

“N-No, it’s not that! It’s… well…”

A few moments passed, and Aichi really couldn’t come up with anything convincing. He could practically feel Naoki’s second-hand embarrassment radiating behind him.

Though he’d fully expected her to keep on him, Emi’s features softened instead. “If you really can’t stay at home yet, at least come back for dinner tonight.”

“I’m sure I can do that much.” He wasn’t actually sure at all, nor did he really even want to. If it would save him from further questioning, though…

She smiled. “Great! I’ll tell Mom! Be sure to come over as soon as you win, okay? No being late!”

“Of course!”

As Aichi waved her off and watched her head out the door, Naoki came up to stand next to him. “Jeeze, yer not smooth at all. Juss sounded like you didn’t wanna tell her you were doin’ somethin’ dirty.”

“Shut up.”

Naoki giggled. “Really, though, yer not bad at bein’ Aichi.”

“Tch. I’ve done it before. I just don’t like it.”

“… Eh? Really? When'dja do it bef…” The sentence didn’t even finish leaving his mouth before his eyes widened. “Wait, the weeks before Aichi disappeared… was that you the whole time!?”

“What do you think?” the other replied with a scoff.

“Woah… I hadn’t even thought of it ‘til now… I mean, nothin’ seemed wrong, and I… none of us noticed anything…”

Aichi laughed dryly. “I wonder what it means if you can’t tell your precious mate apart from a fake?”

Naoki’s gaze fixed itself to some neat looking crack in the floor. The atmosphere between them had thickened in a second.

“Nnn… guess it means…” He finally looked up, goofy grin dispelling the tension. “Yer a really good actor, huh? Maybe yer true callin’ is in the movies!” So it was possible to faze him– at least for a moment.

“Hah. Maybe you’re right.” He placed a hand at his puffed-out chest. “I’ll capture the collective heart of this pitiful little planet right before burying it. And you… can be my loyal gofer.”

“Aw, what? No fair! I’m at least guy-in-the-rubber-monster-suit tier! C'mon!”

“Hmm, I don’t know,” Aichi crossed his arms, brows knitting. “Maybe more like… nameless-background-extra-who-dies tier.”

“Now yer juss bein’ mean!”

Before another word could be said, the pairings for next round were announced, and the two of them rushed to find their next opponent.

(And with most of the nobodies already eliminated, he wonders if he’ll keep recognizing the names next to his, just like this– Sendou Aichi vs. Katsuragi Kamui.)


	13. thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and..... then they stop the terminator from killing john connor?

The boy at the other end of the table seemed to be studying Aichi, brows knit in concentration, bottom lip poking out, fingers rubbing at his chin.

“… Are you going to fight me, or are you just going to stand there like an idiot?”

Crossing his arms, Katsuragi Kamui made a thoughtful little “hm,” as he nodded his head. “You really aren’t him, huh?”

“No, I’m not,” Aichi stated flatly.

“You sure you aren’t just playing a bad joke?”

“I’m sure.”

“And you sure one of those Knight guys didn’t double-dog dare you into this and you couldn’t refuse?”

“Shuffle your deck.”

Kamui huffed and riffled through his cards without another word. When they drew their hands, he finally added, “You take first.”

“Fine with me.” Aichi rode and passed.

“Listen,” Kamui said as he rode in turn, usual theatrics strangely absent, “I’m not happy about this, but Kai says it’ll be fine, so I’m gonna trust him– at least for a little while.” He rested his vanguard to attack Aichi’s.

“No guard.” No trigger, and Aichi checked his damage. “I don’t understand the faith you all put in him. Your friend is disappearing, but it’s okay if Kai-kun says it is?”

“Kai wouldn’t let him just disappear.”

“Huh… feels like it’s happened once already.”

Kamui growled. “But you’re standing here right now, aren’t you? That’s ‘cuz Kai and all of us went to get you! And as soon as we figure something out, we’ll bring you back again!”

“Oh? And how do you know you’ll find a way to do that?”

“It’s called trusting your friends! But I’m guessin’ you don’t know anything about that, 'cuz I dunno who’d wanna be friends with someone like you.”

“That’s cold,” Aichi said with a smile. “But you know, when we first met in the Sanctuary, Kai-kun told me all of Sendou Aichi’s friends were mine as well. With that, I’d say I have quite a few.”

“Yeah, well, that’s just 'cuz you’re using his body!” Kamui jabbed a finger at the other. “It doesn’t count if they’re just doin’ it outta… outta goblination!”

Aichi cocked his head. “Obligation?”

“Yeah, that! … Hey, I don’t need you correcting me!! And what’s with that expression, anyway!?”

A blank smile grew to accompany the confusion in Aichi’s eyes. “This one?” he asked, pointing to his face.

“Yeah! You look way too much like Aichi-oniisama right now! Cut it out!”

“Ah, how would you rather me look?”

“I dunno! Like…” Kamui bared his teeth and and hunched his shoulders. “Meaner! More evil!”

Aichi hesitantly imitated the gesture, even giving a little snarl.

“Noooo!” Kamui shook his head wildly. “No, no, you gotta be more vicious! You gotta put your heart into it!”

“Sorry,” Aichi replied, scratching his neck. “I don’t have one of those.”

“Hmm… well, that’s a pretty big problem… I think there’s a movie about that, actually…”

“Is there?”

“Yeah! It has a scarecrow, and he doesn’t have a heart! So he goes to see this cool wizard guy to get one, and…”

Aichi leaned in. “… And?”

“…” Kamui pulled at his hair with his free hand. “Rrgh, what am I even doing!? You’re making me do stupid things like talk to you!” He slammed a card onto the Vanguard circle. “This is what The Great Me wants to say! If you’re really gonna be in his body for a while, then you gotta prove you’re as good as him!”

“To make demands like that, you’ll have to prove you’re good enough to keep my attention,” Aichi replied with a shrug.

“Who says I want attention from some weirdo space clown, huh!?”

Their fight raged back and forth. Had it not been for a couple of well-timed triggers on defense, Aichi could’ve lost at several different points. Katsuragi Kamui was no slouch, and he knew exactly how to take advantage of his deck’s mechanics. As Aichi picked off his rearguards, though, his offense began to slow, until an opening presented itself. Aichi struck, breaking through to end the game.

“Well,” Aichi asked, smile far too innocent, “is that proof enough for you?”

With a grumble, Kamui glanced over at his damage zone again, as if to be sure he hadn’t miscounted the cards there. “I mean… I guess you’re pretty good… but you’re never gonna be Aichi-oniisama good, okay!? So don’t get a big head just 'cuz you got a little lucky!”

“I’ll just take all that as a compliment. As difficult as you are, you’ve also managed to prove your worth as a fighter. So…” His expression twisted, eyes glowing with malice as the curve of his lips went sharp, “Reverse.”

Kamui flinched, throwing his arms up in front of himself, as if it’d protect him at all. “W-What!? No way…!” His body went tense, bracing itself for… something that never came.

“Or at least, that’s what I would’ve done, if I could’ve,” Aichi finished.

“S-Seriously…!?” Kamui relaxed before letting his head slump against the table. “Not funny…”

“Well, you told me I should look scarier. I only gave you what you wanted.”

As Aichi left to report the results, Kamui’s stomach dropped as he realized he’d seen the real one make that kind of face before, too.

Hopefully, Kai really did know what he was doing. Aichi had no business making faces like that.

(The top 4 pairings are posted, and Aichi has only one more obstacle standing between himself and Kai. As he reads the name of his opponent, it reminds him of a certain day a couple of weeks prior, and he absentmindedly rubs at his bottom lip with the side of his hand.

Semifinals – Sendou Aichi vs. Tokura Misaki.)


	14. fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> memories are blessings, memories are curses

“So,” Aichi asked, tone unusually harmless, “how is she?”

Misaki refused to so much as glance at him, let alone answer, focus trained on nothing but shuffling.

“Are you ignoring me?”

She placed her deck in front of him. He cut and slid it back, and she drew her hand, all without making a sound.

“You don’t plan to play our game without speaking, do you?” He offered his deck to her in turn.

“I don’t care what you are,” Misaki finally said as she cut, “or how much strength you claim to have–” When she handed the deck back, she slammed it on the table with enough force to make Kai and Naoki glance over from the fight table next to theirs. “I won’t let you play with her heart anymore.”

Even as her gaze burned through him, Aichi couldn’t help but laugh. “I see. She’s too weak to stand up for herself, so someone else has to do it for her. What a gallant knight you are!”

“Stop talking and draw your hand.”

–-

“What am I supposed to do about this? What even can I do?”

The last rays of a setting sun peeked through the blinds, throwing deep orange lines across Kourin’s lap as she sat on the edge of the bed. It’d been two days since she’d punched the thing in Aichi’s body. Two days since Kai Toshiki proved he wasn’t done making mistakes. Two days since she realized the number of people she still had was dwindling even further.

Misaki sorted through cards at a desk off to the side, an off-hours favour for Shin. “I don’t particularly like it, either, but I’m not sure there's anything we can do right now.”

“It’s just… rrgh, I don’t get it!” She hit the bed with the side of her fist. “What is he thinking? He cares about Aichi enough to go through hell to get him off the moon, but just lets that thing kill him anyway? Why!? What does he get out of it!?”

“I’m sure he doesn’t intend to let that happen… but it feels like there’s something else he’s trying to accomplish.”

“What else could he want? What could possibly be worth risking Aichi’s life– the lives of his friends– the lives of everyone on this planet!?”

Neither of them said anything else for a long while, the silence only broken by the occasional rustling of cards.

“I don’t know,” Misaki finally replied.

“I’m just… I’m just scared.” Kourin’s voice came much quieter than before, the lull in their conversation giving her anger a chance to melt into something more muted. “Takuto is gone, Rekka and Suiko don’t remember me or anything we did, and I don’t remember anything before I was with them. They were the closest thing to a family I had, and now it’s like it never even happened.”

Misaki’s movements slowed as she listened, eventually stopping entirely, gaze idling on the cards still in her hands.

“You all are the only ones I have now. Outside of the Cardfight Club, outside of all the people Aichi’s let me meet, I’m… I’m nothing. I’m nobody at all.” She stared down at her hand as if it’d been replaced with someone else’s. “I don’t know who I am. I don’t know who or what I had. Do I have a mom? A dad? Sisters, or brothers? Did I have friends? How many people do you think wonder every day where I went?”

Misaki looked over at her. “Kourin…”

“What did I look like as a baby? As a little girl? What did I want to be when I grew up? What did I dream about? What did I wish for when I saw shooting stars?” She grabbed the edge of the mattress with both hands to stop from shaking, but it didn’t help, even as her knuckles went white. “There’s nothing. I don’t know any of it. Whoever that person was, whatever that person had… none of it exists anymore. And now… now I’m starting to lose everything and everyone all over again? You’re telling me I’ve lost two families, now? You’re telling me I can’t even keep all the friends I’ve managed to regain?” She swallowed a sob, but it came right back up, and one hand flew to her face to rub at her blurring eyes. “What a fucking joke!”

Misaki stood from her chair, its legs scratching across the floor as she pushed it away. The noise made Kourin look up, but all she could see was the colour of Misaki’s shirt as she leaned in and wrapped her arms around tight.

All at once, as if on cue, Kourin let go. She clung to the other like she’d float away otherwise, fabric at the other’s back bunching under her fingertips. She cried, and cried, harder than she thought she ever had, body heaving with each awful wail.

Misaki said nothing at all, just laid down with her, twisting so she could rest on top and rubbing circles at her back.

Eventually, Kourin calmed down, at least enough to stop trembling, and Misaki was about to ask if she was alright before she murmured, “Maybe it would be better if I just forgot again.”

Misaki shook her head. “No… it wouldn’t be.”

“Why not? I wouldn’t have to hurt like this. I could go somewhere far away and start over again. Maybe then I’d finally find a happy life.” She smiled, a sort of sad, lopsided affair, and the cracks in her voice broke Misaki's heart. “Third time’s the charm, isn’t it?”

Closing her eyes, Misaki took a breath. “Maybe it’s selfish, but… I don’t want you to forget me. I was so afraid when I thought you had before… I want you to stay by me, as long as you can.”

Kourin nuzzled into the crook of her neck. “It’s okay. Even when my head forgets, my heart won’t. I promise. But… with that said, can I ask you for something selfish in return?”

“Like what?” Misaki asked, fingers running through the other’s hair.

“When I do finally lose them… if this world is still here, and if our lives can go on… will you teach me Vanguard again?”

Misaki smiled, tears beading at the corners of her vision. “Of course. How could I possibly say no to that?”

Though a little pained, the laugh that dropped from Kourin’s mouth was still just that. “Thanks. That’s all I needed to be sure of.” She sniffled. “Don’t you need to finish sorting those cards?”

“They can wait a little longer.”

Kourin sighed, content enough then, before pushing herself a little closer against Misaki. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Misaki replied as her lips found the other’s neck.

They laid there together for some time, until Kourin’s breath had grown slow and even. Misaki gingerly rolled the sleeping girl off onto the mattress, then scooped her up and laid her head on one of the pillows.

As she went back to the desk to finish up, she glanced down at the little damp spots on her shirt, still noticeable but far from warm now.

“The next time you cry, I’ll make sure it’s because you’re happy.”

–-

“If I need to use her again, beating me here won’t stop me,” Aichi remarked as he rode to grade 3. “I’ll play with any heart I please.”

“I won’t let you near her. She doesn’t deserve any more pain.”

Aichi giggled. “The weak deserve everything they get.”

Misaki refused to feed him a reaction, instead calmly continuing with the game.

As the turns passed, Aichi came to the unsettling realization that he wasn’t gaining ground. His hand only seemed to grow smaller, while hers stayed the same. Somehow, she was outlasting him, and he grit his teeth. The excitement he’d normally feel at facing someone who could corner him only suffocated under the frustration of being kept just out of reach of Kai for this long.

It had to end there. Aichi wouldn’t let himself be beaten at a point like this. He dedicated everything he could to the board and swung out, a monstrous attack that took everything he had–

And Misaki deflected it as though it were nothing.

“That’s… that’s not…”

She declared her attack.

Aichi stared down at his pitiful hand, as if it might become something better if he just watched it long enough.

“Are you going to guard?”

“I…” He bit his bottom lip. Surviving the entire turn was impossible. “I’m not,” he finally replied. With hesitant fingers, he checked his sixth damage: Blaster Blade.

“And that’s for Kourin,” Misaki declared before gathering up her cards.

Aichi watched in silence, not making any move to do the same. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He was supposed to fight Kai in the finals, and yet… yet…

“How could you… how could you beat me when you’re… you’re…”

“See, you can’t even call me weak.”

“This…! This doesn’t mean anything,” Aichi snarled, “You don’t win a prize by beating me here. This tournament is just a hollow imitation of war. Winning or losing is ultimately irrelevant.”

“I wonder why you’re so upset, then?” She glanced over to the other semifinal game wrapping up next to them and called out to Kai, “Try training your dog here a little better.”

“I am not his pet…!!” Aichi spat, slamming his hands on the table.

“Aw, well, you can always be mine, then, Void-kun!”

Aichi twisted his head the other way, coming face to face with Suzugamori Ren. “You…! How long have you been here!?”

“You’re late,” Misaki said, “the last round’s starting soon.”

“I know, I know! I had a lot of stuff to take care of today! I just finished them and decided I’d pop in to see how things were going.” He flashed Aichi a grin. “I did get to watch the end of that fight, though! Misa-chi is super scary, isn’t she?”

“Don’t call me that,” Misaki said flatly. Ren pretended he didn’t hear her.

With a scowl, Aichi scooped his cards together and placed them back in their deckbox. “It doesn’t matter. I’m going–”

Ren’s hand found its way around his wrist. “– with me!” He looked over to Kai and waved. “Kaaaii! I can borrow him for a bit, right?”

Aichi stared at Ren. “Wha?”

“As long as you don’t lose him,” Kai said.

“Wha!?” Aichi whipped his head around to look at Kai, then back to Ren. “What is this!?”

“I just wanna talk to you for a few moments!” Ren tugged at Aichi’s wrist.

In response, Aichi yanked back. “I’m not in the mood.”

Though Ren’s expression remained playful, his grip grew dangerously tight. “It’ll only take a second, promise!”

Aichi finally realized he had no choice in the matter.

(As everyone left in the shop gathers around to watch Misaki and Kai fight for the top, Ren leads Aichi out the side door and into the alley. The air hangs warm around them, the sky above is all pinks and purples, and the sound of the occasional car mixes with the incessant chirping of summer cicadas.

Aichi yelps as Ren grabs his throat with his free hand and shoves the back of his head into the wall of the adjacent building.)


	15. fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oops! you bought peach rings! (mild gore warning btw)

“You know, I’ve been thinking a lot since that night.”

One hand at his wrist, the other pressing against the underside of his jaw, Ren had Aichi pinned to the alley wall.

“I don’t really mind things being the way they are right now. Aichi-kun’s pretty strong. Worrying about him just feels like doubting him, so I’ve decided not to.”

The back of Aichi’s head still throbbed from the impact, and the vision of Ren before him doubled and wavered through blurry eyes.

“And even though I feel like I should, I don’t really want to hate you. Those fights we had were a lot of fun!” He leaned in closer, hair brushing Aichi’s cheek as he spoke low in his ear. “You’re so cute when you squirm, too.”

Aichi’s face reddened as he hissed, “Shut up.”

With a giggle, Ren pulled back just enough that they could see each other’s faces. “See? This is why I can’t hate you. I want to have more fun with you while you’re here, and I’m sure you'd like that, too, right?”

Rather than answer him, Aichi replied with a question of his own: “What do you want?”

“I’m getting to it!” Ren huffed. “So impatient… listen, good things come to those who wait!”

“Good for me, or good for you?”

“The latter, unfortunately,” Ren said with a sneer, demeanor changing in a flash. “See, I said I don’t want to hate you. You’ve hurt a lot of my friends, though, and I don’t think I can overlook that. How can we preserve our relationship, then, Void-kun?”

“There is no relationship. There’s nothing between us to preserve.”

“We both know that’s a lie. Don’t act like you don’t remember.”

Oh, Aichi remembered, of course– Ren’s body against his own, Ren’s fingers in his hair, Ren’s voice in his ear. Most of all, Aichi remembered wanting these things, wanting Ren to come closer, needing it. He bit his lip. “That’s only because you…”

The hand at Aichi’s jaw trailed down to push at his chest. “Because I what? Because I did this, Aichi-kun?”

Aichi grit his teeth as his heart jumped under Ren’s palm. “Stop.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” and the glow that appeared in his eyes came off just as threatening as the smile stretching across his face. “I’m not here to make you feel good.”

Aichi’s head throbbed. That glow chilled him to the core, twisted his guts up in knots, and he couldn’t even hide it as his muscles tensed in Ren’s hold. “Don’t… Don’t look at me with those eyes.” Though he meant to sound intimidating, his wavering tone betrayed him.

“Why?” Ren asked. “Do you not like them?” As if he didn’t already know the answer.

The colours swirling in his stare transfixed Aichi, kept their eyes locked as the other’s presence paced at the edges of his mind. All Ren needed was the tiniest crack, and though Aichi wouldn’t let him find it so soon, he wasn’t actually sure how long that fortitude could last. His free hand rose up, fingers finding Ren’s wrist and curling tight around it. “Let go.”

“Or what?” The words left his mouth as though he were playing around, as though they were good pals having some kind of funsies-fight.

Ren, a mere human, refused to take him seriously. The very idea had his blood boiling. “Do you really want to find out?”

A giggle. “What do you expect to do to me like this? You’re all chained up in the body of the one who beat you, forced to play pretend at the whims of his friends. Pretty pitiful, I’d say! You probably think you have some kind of secret upperhand, but you’re only still here because Kai’s granted you mercy.”

Aichi’s form trembled with building rage, knuckles going white as he dug his fingernails into Ren’s skin.

“And I’m sure you understand,” Ren continued, hardly fazed by the prickling at his wrist, “Kai isn’t particularly known for his mercy. Whatever he sees in you is nothing compared to what he sees in Aichi-kun. Once that mercy’s run out, he’ll kill you without a second thought. After all, nothing you do can change that…” He paused, watching Aichi’s expression shift between fear and disgust and confusion and apprehension all within the same second, and the glow in his gaze grew brighter. “… Sendou Aichi is the one he really loves. Not you.”

Aichi’s eyes widened as another pain shot through his head, and his eye contact with Ren finally broke when he winced.

“Got– you–”

The smell of dirt and blood filled their noses, and as Aichi’s eyes reopened, he realized the two of them were no longer in the alley. Ren had him up against the wall of a great hallway that stretched quite a ways in both directions. A dusty chandelier hanging far above them cast dim, swaying light that made Ren’s shadow twitch eerily behind him. A Shadow Paladin castle– typical.

“Huh, I thought it’d be harder… but all it really took was hitting the right nerve,” Ren chirped.

“Nerve? You think that’s a nerve?” Aichi laughed, dry and nervous. “I'm not after the affections of a traitor.”

“If you say so! Though discussing your love life sounds like fun, I have something much more important to do.” The fingers at Aichi’s arm tightened as Ren shoved his face close to the other’s again. “You hurt my friends. Now I get to hurt you,” and his breath rolled warm against Aichi’s cheeks with each sharp word. “You’ll squirm for me again, won’t you, Void-kun?”

Before Aichi could say anything, Ren gave his arm one good yank, and his scream reverberated in the empty hallway as blood splattered across the floor. His arm had come away, easy as tearing paper, and the echoes of his cries covered up the quiet thud it made as it met the ground.

Like a frenzied animal, he began struggling to escape Ren’s hold, shoving and kicking and fighting, and the other complied by throwing him to the ground. Scrambling to get to his feet, the sole of Ren’s shoe on his throat cut his escape act short.

“So– rry– !“ Ren said with a smile angelic enough to make Aichi sick. "You can’t get away that easily. Even if you could, though, you couldn’t go anywhere outside my watch. You’re completely trapped in this image of mine.”

Every time Aichi tried to get up, Ren shifted his weight onto him, listened to him choke, until he stopped entirely, opting to lay still on the cold ground instead. Blood slowly pooled around him, soaking into his shirt and turning the fabric sticky and heavy as he stared up at Ren, eyes full of defiance.

“It’s been a while since I’ve indulged this ugly side of myself. The rare times I get this chance, I always remember why I succumbed to it for so long.” Ren ever-so-carefully pressed down on Aichi’s throat, like a warning. “Nothing feels as good as crushing someone wholly and utterly. I’m really grateful to you for this!”

Breathing was a chore with Ren’s foot on his neck, and his words came out laboured. “What… are you trying… to accomplish? Do you want… an apology? Do you want me…. to atone?”

“Oh, I don’t expect anything from you. I’m well aware nothing I do here could make you feel remorse. I don’t even know if you’re capable of feeling it at all. I just figure, if you get to play with others, it’s only fair I get to play with you, right?”

“You,” Aichi croaked, “you’re just… a toy… toys don’t play back.”

“Then you admit you’re just a child. A spoiled brat, even!” A black blade had appeared in Ren’s hand, then, Aichi missing it by a blink. He raised it high, angling its point straight down. “And spoiled brats get put in time-out.”

The sword sunk into Aichi’s midsection, clearing soft flesh and meeting the ground, pinning him like an insect on display. He shrieked as Ren took his foot from his neck only to grab the hilt and grind the blade in deeper. Bile crawled up his throat as he watched the other shiver.

“Ah… what a nice sound, coming from you…” Ren knelt down by him. “I want to hear it again, and again…” He reached out to touch the flat of the blade, fingers gingerly running down until they met ripped fabric and torn skin. After some thought, he pressed them into the gap between metal and body, blood welling up and staining them red.

Aichi inhaled sharply, then bit his tongue as Ren worked his fingers in further, practically digging now.

“How does it feel, being so weak?” His voice was quiet, gentle. “How does it feel to be unable to do anything at all?”

Aichi stared at him, eyes wide and wild, breath coming shallow and ragged.

“I can keep going, too. We can do this as long as you want. I can tear your other limbs off. I can crack your ribs and crush your heart with my bare hands. I can break you piece by piece, until there’s nothing left to break. All the destructive urges I’ve held back, I can take each and every one out on you. How about it, hmm?”

A small noise down the hall suddenly caught Ren’s attention. Looking up, he saw a familiar high beast watching them. “You don’t have to stand so far away, Judgbau!”

The dog drew near, then, stopping to sniff at the discarded arm.

"Are you hungry?” Ren cocked his head. “You can have that, if you’d like. And if anyone else wants some, I have plenty!”

Aichi weakly craned his neck to watch as the dog barked down the hall, once, twice.

There came another beast. Then two. Then three. Then four, five, six, eight, ten– all drooling and growling and snapping.

“I guess I’ll be nice, then,” Ren said as he stood. “You can deal with them instead of me.”

All at once, with the snap of Ren's fingers, the dogs set upon their prey, biting and clawing and shredding, taking great chunks of meat and swallowing them whole, lapping up blood as it spilled forth onto the stone. Screams were drowned by howls and snarls, and Ren watched fondly as the beasts devoured Aichi alive.

Aichi’s consciousness came and went, eyes catching only flashes of bloodied teeth between spreads of black. Searing pain coursed through him, yet it didn’t compare to the feeling of being helpless, the feeling of being weak. A creature almost as old as the universe itself, an entity responsible for the fall of millions of societies, a god with no equal– currently being torn apart by dogs. How pathetic.

What was left of his body turned pitch black as his eyes rolled back into his head. It then collapsed into countless tiny particles, sending the dogs scattering back the way they came. Ren watched in curious silence as the particles pulled back in moments later and coalesced in mid-air, forming a dark, round-ish little thing that floated in place.

“Oh… is this what you really look like?” Reaching past stray bits floating here and there, Ren brushed the pad of his forefinger against it, smiling as it seemed to pulsate at his touch. “Like a seed… Void-kun is awfully cute.” Taking both hands, Ren carefully swept the seed close to himself, practically admiring it. “I guess if I made you break your perfect image, I can say I’m satisfied. No more bad blood between us– let’s be friends, now, okay?”

Leaning in, Ren pressed his lips to the seed and felt it quiver against them.

(Aichi’s back in the alley all of a sudden, sitting up against the wall. Ren’s squatting to level with him. “Are you feeling okay, Aichi-kun?”

The thump in his chest sends warmth through him, and just this once, it’s a welcome sensation. There’s a long pause, as if he’s searching for the right words, before he says just one: “No.”

“Then, I’ll wait out here with you until you are.”

Aichi stares at him. Then, he nods, closes his eyes, and rests the back of his head against the wall.

Ren sits next to him and does the same.

Their shoulders touch. Aichi’s too exhausted to retch.)

\---

Curled in on himself, forehead against the ground of some dark, starry place, Aichi’s all alone. A dull ache throbs through every muscle, but at least he’s not in pieces anymore. He’d been trying not to retreat into himself– a coward’s move, a victory he didn’t want Suzugamori Ren to take– yet the mental strain of the other’s Psyqualia had forced it in the end. Like this, his reactions can’t be savoured, and Aichi knows Ren values those reactions above all else. Even if you crush a seed, you won’t hear it scream.

Despite this, Ren’s still feeling around Aichi’s mind, still keeping him stuck in that image. Void has always been the one to lock others, not be locked down itself, and Aichi can’t help but laugh, bitter and dry.

_‘Oh… is this what you really look like?’_

Aichi’s head jerks up to see Ren on his knees in front of him, head cocked, brows raised in curiousity. He swallows hard. Even if he can still see Ren like this, he’s sure Ren can’t see him as anything but the seed. There’s no more satisfaction to gain out of continuing this, is there?

When Ren reaches out, Aichi braces himself. There’s never any pain, though, just the feeling of Ren’s finger poking at his cheek. Aichi wants to hiss, wants to say, “Don't touch me,” but Ren won’t hear it.

_‘Like a seed… Void-kun is awfully cute.’_ Ren’s expression is soft now as his palms find either side of Aichi’s face, malice having long melted away into something resembling fondness. His touch is light, and the way he guides Aichi into sitting up is delicate enough that he barely registers it’s happened until they’re level with each other.

After a moment, Aichi goes to grab at Ren’s wrists, tries to push him away, yet his hands pass through harmlessly, as though he’s a ghost. Of course– Aichi can feel Ren touching the seed, but Aichi can’t affect him at all like this. His arms drop back down to his sides.

_'I guess if I made you break your perfect image, I can say I’m satisfied. No more bad blood between us– let’s be friends, now, okay?’_

It’s ridiculous, watching the smile spread across his face, much warmer than the one he wore as he tore Aichi apart. It’s ridiculous, hearing _let’s be friends_ in the same voice that just whispered _I can break you._

“What do you want from me?” Aichi wants to ask. “What are you trying to do?”

Ren leans in, closing his eyes as his lips meet Aichi’s. He can’t possibly see Aichi’s body stiffen, can’t possibly hear his breath hitch, yet the corners of his mouth curl up even further, as if he simply knows.

A kiss. An irrelevant gesture of human affection, human affection Void has never felt, human affection for which Void has no need. Even so, Aichi can’t seem to stop the tremble spreading through his limbs, or the heat welling up in his chest, or the blood rushing to his cheeks. It’s dizzying, all the far-off stars around them spinning by, and when he closes his eyes, the only place left to steady his focus is Ren’s presence.

There’s something trickling into him, something cold and overwhelming, running down his throat and dispersing somewhere inside. It feels strong, feels like Ren, as though some fragment of the other’s power is leaking into him, and he finds he wants them- needs them to stay like this. Ren has to share more, more– more of his strength, more of himself– until there’s nothing left to share at all, until Void has taken everything and made it its own.

Aichi knows that won’t happen, though– not right here, not so easily.

Ren pulls away. Though it seemed like their mouths had been connected for hours, it’s really only been moments. Moments, however, are all it takes to influence the seed, Void’s very core, fragile as it redevelops.

Aichi exhales, that seed still stirring in his heart, and his thoughts begin to blur as Ren finally withdraws his Psyqualia and thrusts him back into reality. When he comes around in the alley, he thinks something important has happened, something besides being tortured by the man in front of him. It’s hard to remember when all he can concentrate on is how horrible he feels, though, so he stops trying.

When Ren sits next to him, their shoulders touch. Aichi’s too exhausted to retch– but he doesn’t find being so close to the other as awful as he probably should, either.


	16. sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> crybaby

The shop’s side door swung open. Kai stood in the threshold, staring at Ren and Aichi sitting on the ground with their eyes shut and their backs and heads to the wall. “… Do I want to ask what you’re doing?”

“We had a conversation,” Ren replied, making no other indication he was awake, “and afterwards, we needed a rest.”

“A rest?”

“It was a very intense discussion!” He opened one eye. “Did you win?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah, that’s Kai Toshiki for you, I guess!” Ren reached over and prodded Aichi’s cheek. “Your Prince Charming is here to take you back to the castle!”

With a groan, Aichi finally stirred, lifting his head to acknowledge Kai. “You wouldn’t have won if I’d been there,” he mumbled.

Kai gave a small shrug. “But you weren’t. Now get up, we’re late.”

Snuggling his chin into his knees, Aichi made a little tch before asking, “To what?”

“Dinner. With your family.”

… Shit. That was something he’d agreed to, wasn’t it? “How did you know?” Aichi hissed.

“Ishida. He thought you’d try to slip out of it.”

Mental note: kill Ishida Naoki. “Fine.” Aichi got to his feet, dusting himself down with sweeps of his palms. “Let’s just get it over with.”

Kai gave a parting nod to Ren before the two of them started out towards the street.

Ren smiled and waved. “See you later! Make sure to eat some for me, okay, Void-kun?”

There came a falter in Aichi’s step, a sudden impulse to stop at the other’s voice that left as quickly as it arrived. There wasn’t any reason to pay mind to Ren’s farewell, not after all that.

Even so, the little misstep didn’t escape Ren, and he giggled to himself as the pair disappeared around the corner.

“What did he talk with you about?” Kai asked as they followed the sidewalk away from Card Capital.

“Nothing.” Aichi didn’t even glance at him.

Rather than press it, Kai let the answer be, and silence hung between them until the moment they reached Aichi’s house.

Though it took Kai practically dragging Aichi up the driveway and to the doorstep, the two were finally greeted at the door by Sendou Shizuka.

“Oh! You must be the guests Emi told me about!” First, she aimed a warm smile at Kai. “You’re… oh, Kai Toshiki-kun, aren’t you?” She wasn’t sure how she knew of him, really, but that was a small detail. When her gaze turned on Aichi, her expression dimmed some fraction, and she said nothing for a few long, awkward seconds. She seemed to catch herself in her stare, though, and her features lit back up. “How rude of me…! I should be asking your name!”

Aichi didn’t seem very interested in re-introducing himself, instead looking away at whatever else. Kai drove the point of his elbow into the other’s side as subtly as he could– Shizuka didn’t seem to notice, at least.

After a flinch, Aichi gave in and cleared his throat. “I’m… Sendou Aichi.” He mirrored the gentle expression of the woman in front of him. “Your son.”

Confusion bled into Shizuka’s face, smile sticking but brows turning up. “My…?” Then, the corners of her lips drooped entirely, and her eyes went wide, recognition flashing through them. “Ai… chi?”

Her arms wound around him so suddenly she almost knocked him over. “Aichi! You’re here! You’re really here, right!?”

Face shoved into her chest, Aichi’s voice came out muffled as he replied, “I am,” and she pressed him closer to her, rubbed her cheek against his hair and repeated his name under her breath, as if afraid it might disappear from her tongue again.

She was warm and smelled nice, smelled like home, and his heart jumped each time she uttered his name until that warmth was his own as well. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and he couldn’t understand why, didn’t want to understand, but when the warmth finally overwhelmed him, it didn’t matter. He wrapped his arms around her, too, and began to cry. He cried, and cried, and cried, even as he heard her asking, where did you go, why did you leave?

“I’m sorry,” he choked, “I’m so sorry, Mom… I won’t go away again… I won’t…”

It didn’t answer her questions, but she seemed satisfied with it anyway, quietly shhing him until he’d calmed. As they separated, she straightened her back and sniffed, trying to regain her composure. “W-Well… I’m sure you’re both hungry, so come in…!”

Aichi glanced over to Kai, expecting him to meet his puffy red cheeks with some stupid smirk, some wordless affirmation that yes, he saw that. All he found instead was a genuine sort of fondness in the other’s eyes, and something about it annoyed him even more. He wiped the tears from his face with the back of his sleeve and stepped into the house, Kai right behind him.

The two met Shizuka and Emi at the kitchen table, where several dishes had already been laid out, still piping hot. With Aichi easily slipping back into character, they all talked and laughed together as the food vanished in the blink of an eye. It was as if nothing had ever happened, as if the world had never been different at all. For just an hour or two, Sendou Aichi existed again, and Kai wasn’t sure if this made him happy, or just made him realize how long it’d been since he’d truly seen the other, how long it could still be.

By the time they’d finished, it was fairly late. Though Aichi had given Shizuka the same vague excuse he’d given Emi for why he couldn’t live there again quite yet, she insisted he and Kai stay the night and leave in the morning at least. Kai agreed for the both of them, though Aichi didn’t argue.

“Do you have to sleep in my room, too?” Aichi glared down at the other laid out on the floor by his bed. “We have a guest room, you know.”

“I’m not just leaving you by yourself that long.”

“What do you expect me to do? You saw my last attempt at running away.”

“I don’t know, but I don’t want to find out, either. You’ll just have to deal with it.”

With a huff, Aichi flopped onto the bed. “Fine.”

Neither of them said another word. The light was still on, and when it became obvious Kai wasn’t going to do anything about it, Aichi got back up to turn it off. As he reached out for the switch, though, the other’s voice made him stop.

“You looked really happy, you know.”

Aichi knit his brows. “The opposite. It’s easy to play that person, but I still hate doing it.”

“Maybe if you pretend enough, you’ll start to like it.”

Aichi scoffed. “Unfortunately, fake smiles are all you’ll ever get.”

“But the tears weren’t fake, were they?”

“Of course they were,” Aichi wanted to say, but he knew Kai was at least more perceptive than that. He only answered after noticing how hard his front teeth pressed into his lip. “All his memories of her came rushing to the front, and the emotions attached to them got the better of me. That’s all.”

“Huh.” A pause, where Aichi flicked the lights. “I guess even something like you isn’t any match for his heart.”

“Not yet.” Slowly working his way through the dark, he eventually reclaimed his spot on the bed. “But soon.”

“If you say so.”

Aichi didn’t just say so, he knew so. Just months ago, in that very house, in that very room, Void had managed to suppress the one being in the universe who had defeated it. The tallest hurdle had already been cleared, and the tiny feelings of a human could only sway it for so long. Eventually, Sendou Aichi would only feel what Void wanted him to feel, what Void itself felt– and even within a colony of billions, there wouldn’t be any room for warmth, or empathy, or love.

(But as he thinks of the day when permafrost fills his chest, when his heart flutters for the final time… it hurts somewhere. Void tries to sleep, even as it despises how Sendou Aichi’s despair still rings muted within his body.)


	17. zero/seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aka 17 Has Too Much Fun With Eldritch Text Generator

_yo̸u͞_

Aichi had just closed his eyes when he heard it, faint but still audible.

_sen̶dou ͡a͡i̢ch̢į_

Sitting up in bed, he glanced around, looking for the source. It sounded far off, yet seemed to come from somewhere in his room at the same time. “Who’s there?”

_y̯̞̘͇͇͎̜o̻̺̝̠̜̼u̱_

The muscles in his back stiffened, nerves on edge– danger, danger. “Who’s there,“ he repeated, voice more urgent. "What do you want?”

_y̡ou ̀y̷o̢u y͘ou yo̢u ̷y͢ou yo̡u ̡yo͝u y̶OU̷ ̡ Y̴̙̮̮̯O̠̗̤̟͢ͅͅU̸̥̪ ̼͓̼̟̙ͅY̞̼̩͖̱͜O̺̭͜Ų Y͏OU͢ ̕Y̕OU Y͘OU̢_

The voice rose and Aichi winced, fingers digging into the sheets. He whipped his head all around, a frantic search that ended moments after it had began. It was an intuitive realization, one that sent beads of sweat rolling down his brow: he was alone in his room.

_YO҉U ́T̶HI͟NK Y͠ƠU̡ ̷HAV͞E ̴WO̸N_

_YOU̕ TH̨INK YO͞U ͝C͠A͏N B̡E ŖID͞ ̴O͝F ̡ƯŚ JͅU̬̟͟ͅS̮͎̲̱̝T͕͇̮̙̤̼ ̘̥̲̮͞L͈͉ͅI̺͇͘K̴͚͍̹͎͕̦͙E̻͕̘͎͖͖̙͠ ̰̬̮T̸̙̣̗͍̠͔H̥͙̯A͍͓̖̣̼T̵̤_

It was Kai’s voice, and Naoki’s. It was Misaki’s, and Kamui’s. It was Ren’s, Kourin’s, Shingo’s, Miwa’s– it was every voice he’d ever heard, and every voice he hadn’t, all at once, clawing their way out of his own brain.

_FO͡R ͘BIL͘L͟IO͝ŃS̢ ̀Ơ͌ͪͯ̂̈̋͆F ̔̆̍ͦ̋YͤͧEͮͭͧ̅̉̋͋A͐̓͋̾̈̒͋RS WÈ ̵H̸AV͜E LIVED_

_̶FOR̨ BIL̢LI͏O̷N͡S ÒF Y͜EARS W͞E͡ ̨HA͠V҉E EVOL͢V͠E̵D_

_̌Ả̿ͮ͒̈ͫ̏͟N̉̃͛͒Dͤ͌́̀ ̑̇̽Y͛OÛ̆̈̽͆ͬ͌THI̵ŅK Y͡O͞U ̸CAN҉ K͝I͢LL ÚS̛_

Doubling over, Aichi’s palms flew to his ears, yet it did nothing to dampen the shriek growing steadily in his skull.

_IF͟ ͘ONL̸Y͡ I͝T̴ W͟E̵R̴È ͝T͏HA͏T ̛EA҉S̨Y  
̧  
I̷N ̕T̷H̨E ͘E͏N̴D, ͡ỲO̷U ARE ŞT̰̤̙I͈̮̩̟̬ͅL̘̭L̖̬ ̻̠͚̪̮H͉̙̫͉̯̤U̝͙M͏ÀN  
̢  
̨STI͟LL͘ ̷I͈N̮̱̞̬͖̪F̡̲͖͈̯̣͇͎Ẹ͎R̳̱̠͢I̷̙̘͚̯̠̳͖O͓̯͔R̪̞̪͚  
͘  
͟A̢N͠D ̀W͟E͞ RE͘F̢U͡SE̷ ͠T͡O̡ ̨FALL AT̢͒ͬ̆̆̚ ͜Y͂ͨO̷̾̎ÚR͏ ̢F́ÉET͜_

His chest grew tight, as if vines had suddenly grown around his lungs, as if wire had constricted his heart. "N-No…” he wheezed, “this… this isn’t…”

_W̢ITH͜ ҉THE͠ ̴LAS͡T ҉OUǸCE OF͢ OÙR̷ POWER̶,͞ WE̕ ҉HA̡V̵E̴ SOUG͂Hͣͩ̎ͨ̐̇ͦ͢T̉̎͜ ̨͛͋̓̎͌Ř̛̍͆E͂͏Fͨ̾̓͂ͨ̚̚UGE͝_

_C̸A͏N͠͠͞ ҉͞Y͜Ọ̧̮͜͠U͕̻̩͞ ҉͈̩̭̬́F͓̤̩̟Ḙ̶̸̹̤̞͉͈͙͘E̘̠͟L̨̛͕ͅ ͠US̛͜,̨́̀ ҉S͜͏͟ȨN͘͟D̕O̷̸U͏ ͝AI͝Ć̸̡H̢͢I͟͠?̸̧_

Those words sucked all the air out of him, stopped his breath entirely.

It’d only been a matter of hours since he’d beaten Takuto– the monster in Takuto’s clothes– and the memory was still fresh. He recalled the sudden prickling in his chest as the wind whipped up and the hole in the sky began crumbling. He recalled feeling wrong somehow, in a way he couldn’t manage to describe. And he recalled how, when he pushed it all aside to fight Kai, when he finally got through to him, there was some twinge of resentment as light returned to the other’s eyes, one that faded so fast he thought he’d been mistaken in having it at all.

“No… No…!” One of Aichi’s hands found the front of his shirt, gripping and twisting at his skin under the fabric. “G-Get out…!! You can’t…!!” He knew words wouldn’t sway it, yet every second saw him growing more desperate for a solution.

_B̕͢U͝T W̧̕Ȩ ̀CA̕N͞, ̛_

_A̷͜ND҉ ̸̧WE͡ ̴͡Ẁ͡Ì̶̡L̶L  
̵́  
Y̷҉Ò͢U ̢̛B҉͢͜E͝L̛Ò̢͠Ń͏̡G̶̨͘ ̶̧T̷̢̕O ͜͞҉U͟S̴̀  
̢͝  
̶F͝RO̷M͏́͜ ̡T͘҉H̢̀͢E̸͢ ́M̛O͟͡ME͢N̴͠T̛͡ ̶̷Ẃ͟͡E̶͜͝ F̀͝I͢͢RS̕Ţ̕ F͢O͘Ú͘͠Ǹ͡D́͝ ̶̧̕Y҉Ǫ̸͞U,͡ ̢͜YO̧͠U̵̧͡ H͘Ą̸V͒̔͊ͬ͡Ę̔ͮ̋̏̌͊͜ ̸́̇̾̊ͩ̏B̧͊̅̀̽ͧ̊͆É̶̉̋̔̓̃ͫͮ͌͢͠L̡͆͒ͦ̍͑̑ͦͪO̵̅͌͘NG̷̨̛E͟D̨͘̕ T͠҉O ̷͡U̕͝S͜͡_

_T̴H̸͢I̢Ş ҉͟I̵͠Ş ̸̢̛T̡͟HE ͠WA͜Ỳ͠͝ ̡͘I̵̢͢T͝ ̴I̧̨Ś͟ ҉M͘͜͝E̢̕͞A҉ŅT͏̴ ̷T̨҉O ͟͏B̴̛͏E_

He cried out, hands moving higher to his temples, nails sticking in his scalp. Chills gripped his form as dark miasma coiled around him, thick and suffocating, and pain pulsed through his head as the voice grew louder still, remaining coherent even when noise and buzzing static drowned the words themselves.

_Y̽̎ͮO̺̟̜̻̺̩̯̓͑U̖̟͕͕̣͑ͪͮͨ͊͗̚ ̣̟̯͖̥̰̈H̻̺̰̝͚̟AͩͦͩV̥̥̘̪̯̬ͬ̐̎ͅÈ͕͉̯̣̥̰̖́̋́ͮ̎̈́ ͓͔̳̮̭̭̄̓̐̒ͨŔ͇͇̱̒̏̾E͔̹̋̐̋̄D̤̣͈̯ͬͦŰ̥͕̞͓̲C͓̘̪̣͉̮ͪE͕̙͈̰̹͙̲̊ͦ̎̈́ͪD̼̺̹͛͂̓͆ͯ̅̂ ̬̹̎ͩ̽ͦ̃̌US̑̉̍ ͈̰͇̪ͅT͍̘͒O͙̤͍͚͕̾̔̃ ̟̥̝ͫ͂̽Ạ̹̙̦̥̳ͦ̐͋͊ ̝ͥ̏ͨ̊̑L̖ͣ̉̾̈ͪ̔O̟̠̐ͅW̌̒̓ͣ̑̏͋L̫̪̑̅̾͋Y̩̠̐ͥ̐̑ ̩͔̲͕̘̞̼̆̆͌̉S̼ͩE̗͕͔̮͔E̩̦͓̘̐̚D̼̥̯͓̞͉͆̉ͫͥ̏  
͓̋̒̒̏ͧ̚̚  
͔̪ͭ͑̄ͫ̅̍ͯA̺̙̭̼̯͒̒͐̇ͫͩ̔N̦͑̈ͥ̊ͦD̗̖ ̦̰͈̋͊̈ͭ̾͒͂S̀̈́Ǒͤ̎͛̔ͧ ̙̒̎́̿̑̑Ỳ̺̬ͪ͊̓̚O̯̟̺͕͗̓̍͐̆̈́ͣÜ̙͈ͮ̓ ̳ͫ̋̅̍͐ͤͨẂ̜̼͕̫̥̱ͯ͆ͬ́I̳̦̟̮̳̻̻͌̒̎ͮͦL͍̻̞̹̫̩ͫL̟͚ͤ͒ͭͩͮ̓ ̆̍̋ͤH̩͇̦͍͈̹EͧḺ͔̦̦͕̲̐̐P͈̯̤̞ͥ͑̾̍ͭ ̗̠ͮͨU͔̣̥͕ͮS͔̤̮ ̘̠̯͎̐̽͒̚G̼͉̪͂ͫ̐͊ͪRͧͭͬ̎̍͑͋O̯̙͎̬̟̫͕W̗̞̩̣̜ͦͫͣͨͫ̚ͅ ̭̋͗̄̈́Ǎ͉͈͚͊ͫ͑̏N̩͉̫̣͙͚̉ͯ̐̒̆Ě͉̏ͨͭͤͥ̚W͎̺̬̭̰̗̾̑̀͌  
͙͙͙̠͌̉͋̌  
̣̬̲̳̗̙̙F̱̲͍̱̟͚͚̚R̗͈̘̫̿͛Ỏ͚͖̘͕̱̮M̘ ̝̮͉͋ͬ̏̿̌ͤͬY͇͗̾̌̀ͦ͛̚O͓̼̰̾ͭ͊ͤǗ͇̤̺̜͊̔ͬR̽̾̒̅ ̟̍ͪ͛S̻͊͊̓̂ͥ̎T̼͚͓̭̖̘̭R̳̯̳̜̈ͨ̅ͩͯͩĖ̘̟͚̈́N͙̣̺͓͕̩͔̈͆G̈́ͣ͊̍T̞̭̠̬̭̞̝ͩ̓ͯ̊H̩͔ͣ̒̀̓,̺ͫͨ ̓W͍̜͈͎̙̮̘͌E̥̱̯͓̺͉̍ͬ̿ͣͯ̐͂ ̜͉̯̥͍W̩͎̳̲̦͋I͙̩̤͆͛ͨ̄̓̑̑L͈̺̝͎̝̊L͌̿ͮ̇ ͉͓̼̬R͈̘̭̗̽̚E͍̩G̱̟̗̳ͧ̓͌͋́ͩ̍Ä̼̯͈ͯ͆ͮͥͨͦI͎̜͔N̗͎̬̖̘̈́̅̅ ̟͈̔́͒ͥ͆W̤̲̬̺̭̓̅ͮ͗̌̉H̟̞̠̊̂ͧ̓A͋ͧͬ͆̔͗ͅT͈̲̟͕̬ͣͯ͋̉͆͐̎ ̖̊̅͊ͨ̎W̓̏ͧ͊ͨͫA͓ͣͤ̈́̽ͭ̔S̯̣͌͋ͥͅ ̝̝̖̙̳͎̝̋ͫ̆L̝͇̙̰̉ͣ͛ͦ̃Ȍ̤̔͆S̰̩̘̿̊̄͊T͔͕̹ͮͨͩ̐ͨ̊̌  
̫͇̲̙̜  
̟͔̼̻̞͕̔̌ͬT͒͆ͬ̈́̽̆H͓̣̠ͬ̾I͓̩̹̖̜̯̝̿͐ͦ̎ͮS̤̳̙̬ͧ͌ ͐̈̍̾I͎ͩ̽̽̾̑S̞̲̳͉ ̼̈̄͂ͥ̑̅A͈ͮ̓̅̓ͭ ̪̝̳͔̯ͤ̄̂̇͆͊ͅͅF̳͇̖́͑ͫA͉̮̟ͤ͗̆̑̈̎T̹̙̳̲͖̆͑̒̅͆̆̓E͔̮̯ͅ ̱̮̩̰̜̼ͩ̓ͭ̐̉̿ͨͅY̹̹̫͍̞̣͚ͦ͂̑ͭ̍̏ͤỌ͇͈̦̎̐U̟̣͖̜̙͕ ͈͉̰͎͇̮̺̇͑H̲̤͙ͬ̆ͥ̃A̙̪̩ͨͭ̄̃̚V̙ͩ͒͋̇͆ͯE̠̝ ̘̻̥̪͛̽͐ͨ̇̈̈́S̲͔̠͓̎̇̆̌̆ͅE̤̥̺̜̫̤͌͗ͣA̜̳̺̘ͪL̲͖̫E̙͖͍͔̻͓ͣͭͩͦ̍́̋D͖̲͙̞͎̦̗̐̎̃ ͉̤̺͑ͥ̉̐͛Y̗͍̭̟̼̯͊́ͣ͂ͤͣͯO̺̭̻̰̻̯̐̇̎̈̃̅ͅU̙̹̰̠̦̟͌ͫ͊̌̈́ͅR̎ͦͯ̐̋͗S̭͔ͥ̏ͩͣ̄Ề͇͙͓̋̾͛L̮͍̞̘̯̝ͣ̎̋̓̏F̳ͤͪ_

A familiar prickling began in his heart and spread out, coursing through his veins and filling them with ice, frigid tendrils reaching even the tips of his fingers and toes. The sensation numbed him from the inside, hollowed him out piece by piece. Everything suddenly felt far away, the image of his room distorting before him, as if his brain couldn’t process it anymore. “I… I won’t… let you…”

_I͚̝͖̽̈͋ͧ͂̽T̠̠̤ ̣̤͓ͮͩͯ̑ͬI̾̈̅͂̄ͬ̚S͚̖̝̀ͫ ͖͕̗͐̋ͪA̻̱͆̓̌̂Ḷ͈͕̲̳͋̐ͪ̏R̠E̖̤̪̖̰̝͚ͬ̂͊A̾͒̓D̥͉̰͍̫ͥͪ̉̽̽Y̤͓̲͚̩̠̊ͭ̐̓ ̻̟̥T̮̗̣͕̲O̪̔ͬ̂̒Ȏ͎͎̘̮̃ͣ ̹̖ͯ͑̓ͮͦ̐̀L͚͖̬̬͍̅͒ͪ̂ͪ̓͊A̠̯̬̝̼̟͈ͮ͒̈́̒̃̎T̑̂͆͂ͣĖ̼̤̣̞̈̅̽͗͛  
͔̩̼̏̾̚  
̫̭̲͚͙T̺͎̖̲̠H͋ͦͣͣ̓̚Ȅ͙̌̎ ̜̪̙̪̼͙̪́̋͒̒M͊̒̏̿̃̍̑O̬̥̮̰̫̩ͧ͋̄M̤̀ͬͯ̌̔̌E̮̤̥̭̝͊ͨͬ̅N͇̞͎͖̬ͮ̋T͎̬̱̲̜̮̼͋̔̆ ̜̮̙̪̓̒̇̿̔ͪͮW̟̞͔̲̼̦̏͌̾͗̇ͯE̪̖̗̱͓̓ ̰̺̱̳ͨT͔͙̩̆O̯̠͐OK̲̺̱̱̼̖͆̂ͅ ͕͍͚̙͈͓̑́͆̇̔̆̍R͔̟̗̂ͨ́O͕̳͓͉͉̦̞Ȯ͈͇͓̓̉̂̒T̬͚̰̚ͅ,̞̥͈̤͛̓̐ ̯̤I̟̤̬̗̫̜̟͋͗ͣ̒̔ͮT͙ͦ̌̐ͦ̌̏́ ̪̯͇͉̝͙̓͊̽ͭ́̚W̗̔ͦͥ̄͋̆A̞̗ͤͯ̿̍̄͊S̪̹ ̤̹̬͚̓ͩ̚ͅA̖̦̥̔̾̆L̩̣̞͙̼͈̤R̝̩͍̮̠̉̓ͦͣ͐͗E̼͊͌ͩ͒̚Aͪ̓D̺̲ͪͧ̌͊̊Y͖̣̮̑̐̅ͩ T̢̜̅̌ͣ́́͗ͦͅÔ͉̞̘͚̖̖͌̐̈́̊́ͅO͔̥̎̄̓ͫ̚ ̭̪ͥ̈͒̑L͖̤̻A̲̻͓T͔͕̻͇͍̟͗̾ͧ́ͫ̉̎͝Ê̟̗͍̲̖_

“I have to… protect them… K-Kai-kun… Naoki-kun… Misaki-san…” As dark splotches encroached at the edge of his vision, he focused on rousing Psyqualia again, focused on shoving the invader away with it just like before– yet nothing happened. “I won’t… leave my friends…” The day’s exhaustion proved too much, the blinding pain proved too much, and for all his struggle, he couldn’t seem to keep from slipping away. “I won’t… let you take me from them…!! I won’t… let you hurt them…! Not now…! Not when we just…!!”

_G͔̜̰̰O̹̗̞̺̩ͨ̇͛ͭO̫̳͈̒Ḍ̝͙͓̜͖̚B̰̥̠͋͊ͥͭ̚Ỳ̺̻͔̖͇͖̪ͣ̄̏ͥ̑E̲̦̞̯͒͊̇ͦ͒̚ͅͅ,̞͉̞̚ ̲̬̞͔͙͚̪̏S̺͎͙̳̟̫̭̑̔ͩ̂̄ͦE̜͚̭ͩ̈͆ͤN̯͎ͨͬ͆̓D̻̪͚̩̭̟͒̓ͨͩ̒̚O̦̖͖̖̺̭͚͛̃̓̉Ű̏͆̉͛̃ ͓͛̽̾ͩA͑̅͒I͖̝̯C͚̬̺̽͗ͬͫͤͅH̥͔̜̱̟̫̿ͥ̑͐̃͂ͫI̭̥̿͛̈  
͙͚  
̱̯̫̙̠̼̐̾͛C͍̱̝̹̖̝A̘͔̞͚̪̹͂ͮ̈́Ṛ̰̼̬̳̜̲ͣͤ̂̓͛ͣE̱͈̰̗ͫͧ F̩̙̪̦͖ͣ̐̿ͮ̎O͐̐̎R ̭Ṷ͈S͚͓͔̤̳͓ͮ͂̽̌ ̘͖̭̭̄ͬ̏̊̈́ͦͅW̳̜͊E̓L̯̗̦̰ͩ̈́ͮ̆͂L̺͈̣͗ͪ̄_

There was a shudder, then a scream as he felt himself cave in, felt something else squirm to the front of his consciousness, felt his hold on his own body shatter.

The pain and noise and darkness disappeared, and he went silent.

First, disorientation– wiggling fingers, darting eyes, manual breathing, in, out, in, out.

Second, realization– a quiet gasp and the raise of brows, a feeling of being weighted, blood moving, everything working.

Finally, euphoria– racing thoughts and a racing heart, trembling arms that hugged themselves tight, a voice that shook and cracked, _ah, ah…!!_

The only being to have ever bested Void was now asleep inside his own body, entirely at Void’s mercy. Just as it should be.

“Aichi…?”

He perked up, gaze landing on Emi’s head poking around his bedroom door.

“Are you alright? I thought I heard you yell…”

“Er…” His tone was sheepish, then. “I just had a nightmare. I’m sorry if I woke you up.”

“Oh, that’s good, then! I was afraid something happened…” She yawned, and started closing the door. “Well, I hope you get back to sleep okay. Night!”

In the dark, she never even noticed the crimson that had eaten away all the blue softness in his eyes.

Of course, Void wasn’t finished just yet. One more plan needed to be made– then it would be free to recoup in solitude, away from anyone who might impede or disturb it. Even as it laid back down in Sendou Aichi’s bed and closed its eyes, it was already devising the final step.

Earth wouldn’t escape twice, this much it knew for certain.


	18. eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> whys everything gotta be so hard

Aichi finds himself suspended, limbs tangled in a mess of pitch-black vines, great thorns hiding between pitch-black buds.

Ren smiles, and it sets butterflies loose in Aichi’s stomach. He reaches out, slow, deliberate. “Aichi-kun…”

Aichi shivers as his name floats from the other’s mouth, as the other’s palm finds his cheek. All the blood’s rushing to his face, and he’s caught in Ren’s gaze.

“You’ll grow for me, won’t you?” Ren punctuates it with a cock of his head.

The reply is instantaneous– a small gasp, a quick and eager nod– _yes, yes, yes._

Ren steps closer. “Good boy,” he coos before taking the other side of Aichi’s face, too, and leaning in to kiss him.

Warmth overtakes him as he closes his eyes, squirming against the thorns at his clothes to bridge even the tiniest distance between them. Ren is offering some piece of himself and there’s a desperation to take it in, no matter how small it is, like a dog so kindly graced with table scraps.

Void’s seed pulsates in his chest, and he wants nothing more than to be closer to Ren, to press their bodies together and let him feel what he’s causing. Then maybe Ren will give him more, will love him more– more, more, more–

All around him, those pitch-black buds unfurl into deep crimson blossoms.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, the boy trapped by black rings cries out in his sleep as dark matter creeps up his arm and past his shoulder.

—

Aichi shifted, immediately aware of the rising and falling of Kai’s chest. A few more moments, and he realized his cheek was buried in it.

He’d gone to sleep on the bed, he remembered that clearly– yet there he was on the floor, snuggled close to Kai, their arms wrapped around one another. It made him want to puke almost as much as the dream.

While his body slept, Void claimed another piece of Sendou Aichi. It felt that much stronger, that much closer… but as Ren’s words echoed in its head, _‘you’ll grow for me, won’t you,’_ it didn’t feel like celebrating.

Aichi’s nails dug into Kai’s shirt. It was what Void had wanted, all this time– another step towards rebirth, another step towards revenge– but Ren smiled, _‘good boy,’_ and suddenly it felt like it was being played.

“Aichi?”

Thump. His grip at the fabric lightened. “What do you want,” he murmured.

“Are you alright? You woke up last night, said you felt strange, then laid down here with me.”

Aichi certainly didn’t remember doing any of that, but. “I was growing.”

Kai was quiet for a few seconds, taking his sweet time to process the words. “Huh.”

With a sigh, Aichi nuzzled up against Kai, smile so innocent. “Little by little,” and his voice became soft and gentle and too familiar, “your precious Mate disappears.”

No words, no noise, not even a fidget– Kai refused to react, refused to give Aichi even that little satisfaction.

Disappointed, Aichi pulled away from him with a huff and got to his feet. Thinking about Ren had his stomach churning, but so did the idea of remaining around Kai. His hand had just enough time to grab the doorknob before Kai sat up.

“Where are you going?”

“The hallway.” He didn’t even bother looking back, just twisted the knob and swung the door open.

“Aichi.”

His grip at the handle tightened. More and more, it seemed Kai was catching on to the little condition attached to their conversations. “I’m going to see Naoki-kun.”

“It’s nine in the morning…” On second thought, Aichi wouldn’t care about something like that now. “… I’ll walk you there.”

“No, you won’t.” The door slammed shut behind him.

Kai stared ahead where Aichi had just been standing. Though his immediate thought was to get up and catch him before he could leave, Aichi’s voice barged back into his head, an unwelcome visitor crooning, _'your precious Mate disappears.’_

All of a sudden, being alone in Aichi’s room was suffocating.

—-

Naoki stood yawning in the doorway, still dressed in superhero pajama pants and some ratty t-shirt. “Wha… were we s'posed to be doin’ somethin’ today?”

“We are now,” Aichi said matter-of-factly.

Naoki scratched his head. “Jeeze, you could'a called me at least… I ain’t even close to bein’ ready to go out anywhere…”

“We don’t have to go out.” Without permission or warning, Aichi slipped inside, taking his shoes off as Naoki closed the door with a grumble.

Seeing Aichi act so callous wasn’t a new experience, but getting used to it was hard. “Uh… okay… y'had breakfast yet?”

“No.”

Well, good enough place to start, then. Naoki retreated to the kitchen as Aichi snooped around his house.

Void had managed to fish the right address out of Sendou Aichi’s memory, so it knew he’d been there before. Absent, though, were memories of Naoki’s house, save for one or two rooms, and Aichi poked about, more out of boredom than anything else. Nobody else seemed to be home, and he recalled another memory– _'Usually my bro 'n’ our folks are outta the house before I even wake up.’_ At least he wouldn’t have to worry about dealing with useless people that way.

Eventually, Aichi found himself in the kitchen as well, sitting at the table and watching Naoki’s back as he finished up. A bowl of rice topped with a fried egg, a small plate heaped with sausage, and a cup of green tea found their way to the table– first in front of Aichi, then in front of the chair across from him, empty until Naoki had seen to it that everything was just right.

“Heard Kai was a real good cook, so I dunno how my stuff’s gonna compare, but…”

Aichi took one bite, stared at it all for a moment, then took another, and another, quietly scarfing it down.

Naoki figured he must’ve liked it well enough, then. “Oh, yeah… how was your dinner thing last night?”

“Annoying,” Aichi said between swallows of rice.

“Oh… guess ya had t'keep actin’, huh?”

“I wouldn’t have had to if you’d kept your mouth shut.”

Naoki laughed, stilted and nervous. “W-Well, uh… sorry? I mean, would'a been suspicious if y'didn’t go through with it, right? I was just lookin’ out fer ya!”

"Tch." Aichi shoveled more food into his mouth.

After the dishes had relocated to the sink, the two found themselves in Naoki’s room. They sat on the floor, surrounded by stacks of cards and thousand-count boxes, fighting and editing and fighting again. It was something he and Aichi had done several times before everything had gone downhill, and even though the person before him wasn’t really Aichi, there was still something comfortable about it all. Even aliens could get really into card games, he guessed.

“Did Kai finally letcha leave by yerself fer once,” Naoki asked, hands idly shuffling his deck.

Aichi didn’t divert his eyes from the cards laid out around him. “No. I just gave myself permission.”

“Wha? Seriously? An’ ya came t'see me instead'a tryna run away again?”

It did sound weird when someone else acknowledged it. Even if Aichi did try to run off again, he still wouldn’t know where to go– and no way in hell was he risking winding back up at Foo Fighter. Naoki was the first person he thought to go to, and so that’s where he went.

In truth, though it hated to admit it, Void had started growing fond of Naoki somewhere along the way. Naoki wasn’t like Ren, or Kai– Naoki was much simpler, much easier. He was honest, straightforward. He said what he thought, and there lurked no ulterior motives or hidden ploys behind his words and actions. The owner of a disgustingly pure heart, the kind of person Void dreamed of ruining, if only that heart weren’t charged with 50,000 volts.

Sooner or later, something like that wouldn’t be able to stop it, whether 50,000 volts or 50,000,000. For now, Aichi merely enjoyed his company, as far as he could 'enjoy’ something so trite.

“I wouldn’t know where to go even if I did run away. I just didn’t want to be near Kai-kun.”

“Man, yer really not gonna give 'im a chance, are ya?”

Though Aichi’s silence could’ve easily been taken as the answer, he finally opened his mouth just to mutter, “I’m missing a card.” He thumbed through the little stack of triggers, being sure none of the cards were sticking. “One of my heals is gone.”

“Ooooooh!!” Naoki leaned forward, grinning deviously. “You were playin’ with an illegal deck? Guess that means all my losses were totally wins!”

Aichi rolled his eyes before checking around himself. He hadn’t dropped it there, so it must’ve been missing since before he got to Naoki’s. He’d checked his deck before entering the tournament and everything was there… well, it was just a common, at any rate. He rummaged through Naoki’s bulk until he found a replacement, and that was that.

They fought for some time longer before Naoki got to his feet and stretched.

Aichi stared up at him expectantly.

“C'mon, let’s take a break,” Naoki said with a whine. “I dunno if I can keep thinkin’ so hard fer much longer!”

It frustrated Aichi, but he gathered up his cards all the same. After they’d cleaned up and put all the boxes back, they migrated to the living room couch, where Naoki put on some old monster movie.

He'd sworn by its quality, even called it a classic.

Aichi just pointed out every time the rubber suit’s zipper was visible.

“L-Listen, this was way back okay!? There weren’t any fancy special effects! Ya couldn’t just edit stuff out in post like ya can now!!”

“They should’ve had better design, then,” Aichi replied with a shrug. “How can they expect anyone to find their creature scary if you can tell just by watching that it's a costume?”

Naoki threw his arms up in desperation. “I ain’t even seein’ it like, ninety percent'a the time yer pointin’ it out! Yer just lookin too hard for the sake of it!”

“It’s called being thorough.”

With a growl, Naoki brought his legs up to cross them and shoved his hands into the space they created, looking like a pouting child. “Yer just doin’ this t'piss me off, ain'tcha?”

Aichi hummed. “I might be.”

“Jeeze, what a jerk…! I hope ya never find that heal trigger so ya gotta have 'em mismatched forever!!”

Grabbing at his chest, Aichi put on the most deadpan expression he could muster. “Ah… no… such a terrible fate you’ve doomed me with…”

Naoki snorted and gave him a little shove. “Lookit you, Mister Dramatic! Really layin’ it on! They got actin’ schools in space or somethin’!?”

The contact sent a shock through him, along with being a bit rough in itself. Aichi rubbed at his upper arm as he contemplated such a ridiculous question. “Mmm… I came into existence this talented.”

“Suuuure.” Naoki laughed before relaxing his posture and leaning back into the couch. They both went quiet, then– Aichi idly looking around the room, Naoki staring up at the ceiling.

The more Naoki thought about it, the weirder their little moment seemed, the weirder all the time they'd already spent together seemed. Twinges of guilt had him wondering if the real Aichi could see him teasing and laughing with the thing that’d taken his body, if the real Aichi would feel betrayed.

“Uh… hey. I can ask you something, right?” Naoki didn’t take his eyes from the ceiling. “Why do you wanna eat everyone, or whatever?”

It was a question Aichi was sure he’d answered before in some way, but he replied all the same, “So I can become stronger. So I can grow.”

“Is that the only way?” There was a certain deliberation behind his voice, as if he were trying to be sure the questions came out right. “Would you die if you didn’t do it?”

“I can’t die at all.” Not on its own, at least. “There’s no direct impact on me if I don’t consume– but I do because I want to move forward. Every single organism in the system experiences a drive to become something more. That drive flourishes with the system, until eventually, it becomes the dominating thought process. Had the system not been functionally reset at my defeat, I probably wouldn’t have been able to carry this conversation, or even think of doing so.”

“Uhhh…” Naoki pursed his lips. “So every time you get bigger, you just get hungrier? 'Til it’s the only thing you can think about? Is that what you mean? 'Cause there’d never be an end to that, then, right? You eat and eat but you never get full… what happens when you run outta food?”

“The universe is always expanding. I could never run out.”

“So you’re just planning to float starving and mindless through space forever?”

“It’ll be a long time, especially with this setback. But it won’t be forever. Once I’m strong enough, I’m sure I’ll evolve.”

“But…” Finally, he lifted his head to look at Aichi. “Yer havin’ fun here, aren’t you? I mean… I guess not with Kai… but with me, at least? Right?”

Aichi narrowed his eyes. “What are you getting at?”

“I mean… what I’m tryna say is…” He grumbled, rubbing at his own neck, bracing himself to say what he knew was the dumbest thing anyone had ever said. “Why don’tcha just… not eat anyone? Why don’tcha just have fun with people instead?”

Aichi’s expression went blank, as if Naoki were suddenly speaking some other language. Then, a smile slowly split across his lips, one that grew as his shoulders began shaking. His hand flew to cover his mouth as giggles gave way to a spill of wild laughter. “R-Really!? Did, Did you really just say that!? Oh… Oh, you’re an idiot…! Humans really are idiots…!”

Blood creeped into Naoki’s face, staining his cheeks bright red. “Y-Yeah, well...! Maybe I am an idiot!” he cried, lunging forward to grab Aichi’s wrist and yank him closer. “But ya know what!? Right now, you can play games with people, 'n’ laugh with people!! You can have nice breakfasts, 'n’ point out fakey monster movie suits 'n’ make everyone mad!!” His voice rose with every sentence, tremors running through his body. “You can talk 'n’ feel 'n’ think!! About Vanguard 'n’ everything else, too!! But you wanna just throw it all away!! You wanna go back to bein’ some big stupid blob of whatevers that can’t do anything but eat 'n’ eat!! What’s the point of explorin’ the universe if you can’t even pay attention to anything but how hungry you are!?” When tears blurred the other’s face, he had to squeeze his eyes shut to avoid the sting. “It’s stupid!! You wanna ruin everyone’s lives… you wanna ruin Aichi’s life… to do what!? Just to ruin yer own!? If that’s really what you want, then yer just as much of an idiot as me!!”

He went silent, then, still trembling, still gripping Aichi’s wrist.

For what seemed like hours, the only sounds either of them could hear were their own breathing and the movie still playing softly in the background.

“You don’t understand,” Aichi finally said, bitterness lacing his tone. “Something like you, so small and insignificant and short-lived– you could never understand. You’ll never know what it’s like, being so close to surpassing yourself and everything else, after so long. You’ll never know how incredible it feels to be a god still knowing it’s on the verge of becoming even more. And you’ll never know how horrible it feels to fall from it in an instant, how painful it is to have perfection taken from you at the last second.”

Naoki just stared at him, tears still quietly rolling down his face. After everything he’d said right before this, he felt like he should have some counterpoint, some reply, some words at all. Nothing came to him.

“The moment I came into existence, I began consuming. I instinctively knew I could. The more beings I took into myself, the more complex I became, and the easier it was to assimilate others. I’ve never done anything else, because I’ve never needed to. Even though I grew emptier, I grew stronger at the same time. I knew I couldn’t be empty forever. I knew one day I would grow enough to become perfect, and that’s all I needed to keep going.” He sighed, closing his eyes. “I didn’t have to speak, or feel, or think about anything else, because nothing else was important. Becoming whole is the only thing that matters to me, so if I have to ruin this universe and everything in it to achieve that, then I will. I exist only for this.”

The hand at his wrist fell away.

Then Naoki barreled forward, wrapping his arms around the other, causing them both to fall back onto the couch in a tangle.

“W-What are you doing?” He grumbled, trying to squirm out from under him, even as lightning pulsed pleasantly beneath his skin. “Get off.”

“It sounds lonely.”

Aichi stopped. “Huh…?”

“It sounds… really, really lonely. Livin’ like that.”

“It didn’t matter,” Aichi said quietly. “I didn’t care if I was alone. I never will. All I want is to grow.”

“I wish there was somethin’ I could do.” Naoki rested his head in the crook of Aichi’s neck. “Somethin’ that would make you feel whole. Then you wouldn’t have to eat anyone. We could play more Vanguard, 'n’ watch more movies. We could be friends– me 'n’ you 'n’ Aichi 'n’ everyone.”

“That’s…” _That’s stupid,_ he wanted to say, but his tongue couldn’t form the words, as if something were holding it back. Instead, he said nothing at all.

It was warm, having Naoki pressed so close– warm and strong and promising. Aichi gave in, moving just enough to snuggle more comfortably against him.

Naoki spoke of wanting to help. Really, the best thing he could ever do was submit calmly and easily to his eventual assimilation.

(When he imagines it, though, a future without Naoki– without his voice or his passion or his disgustingly pure heart, a future where those things are devoured and melted down and lost to the system forever, he feels emptier than he knows he should.

He stops thinking about it, then, refocusing on the other’s energy thrumming through him until he drifts off. They nap there together as the credits roll.)


	19. nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> w̼͓̟͇̣͍a̧̠̦̞̬̮r̵͖m̳̙̱̼̺̘͔t̵̫͇h̰̠͎͘

A young boy approaches the dark mass. Even as it twitches and vibrates unnaturally, he shows no fear.

“Are you all alone?”

The mass emits a rumbling noise, a low static growl.

The boy doesn’t seem to understand it, yet answers regardless. “Well, I’m all alone, too.”

A tinny whine leaves the mass.

With a stupid grin, he takes a hand from the pocket of his hoodie and holds it out. “Here, les’ be friends! Then we don’t haveta be alone anymore!”

Hesitantly, the mass extends a part of itself outwards, a tendril of pulsing dark matter that slithers between the boy’s fingers, wraps around his wrist, explores.

“J-Jeeze, yer cold!” The boy laughs. “But my name’s N—i! How ‘bout you?”

The mass begins humming quietly, and that hum grows louder and louder as its quivering grows faster, more excited. It can sense so much strength locked up inside that being, so much that if it were to be realized all at once right there, it would certainly tear his little body to shreds. All that power, and he’s simply handing it over.

In an instant, the mass sets upon him. It sinks into his flesh, worms its way into his veins and spreads out. Everything it reaches changes, and his body begins collapsing into the mass as his cells grow dark and homogeneous, forgetting the blueprints of their old form and joining with the rest.

Even as he disappears, even as the mass breaks down his heart and mind, the boy still smiles.

The mass realizes it isn’t cold anymore. It knows that there can be an absence of cold, even knows the word for it– warmth. It hasn’t ever felt it before, though, hasn’t ever really known it.

It’s the same warmth found at the boy’s skin, the same warmth found deep within him. That warmth envelops the mass, runs through every member of the system.

Warmth feels new, and intriguing.

Warmth feels… good. No, not good– wonderful, beautiful. It wants more, more, as much as it can get–

but the boy is assimilated and his warmth begins to fade.

The mass struggles to hold onto that feeling, to etch it into itself and keep it there, but it fails. It searches desperately for some last trace of the boy, some unconverted cells, some sign that he still exists, that his warmth still exists, but that, too, fails.

It’s all gone, then. Everything becomes cold again, and it is still so empty, still so far from completion.

It cries out, a hissing, distorted shriek.

There’s nobody else around to hear it.

—

Aichi’s eyes fluttered open, a soft, pitiful noise escaping his mouth. He was still on the couch, Naoki still laying against him, just as they’d been when they fell asleep.

“… Aichi?” Naoki’s voice came muffled, face still tucked into the other’s neck. “You okay…?”

“… Y-Yes?”

“You were cryin’ in yer sleep.”

He could still feel tears fresh on his cheeks. He cried in front of Naoki. God, how pathetic.

Yet the realization that Naoki was still there with him, that he could still feel Naoki’s warmth– it made his eyes well up again, and he had to exhale slowly to keep bubbling emotion at bay. He wasn’t supposed to feel like that, wasn’t supposed to feel at all. It was pitiful and weak and wrong.

“You can talk t'me, y'know?” Naoki’s voice broke him away from his thoughts. “I hate seein’ people sad. ‘N’ I really hate seein’ my friends sad. So… I’m here fer ya.”

“I’m not your friend.” Aichi shifted under him, trying to squirm free. Naoki sat up easily, letting him off the couch without a struggle.

“But I’m yours,” Naoki replied, smile sheepish.

Aichi swallowed hard. “You’re really an idiot.”

“I know.”

There was nothing else to say. Aichi started for the front door, and Naoki got up to silently follow him.

“You goin’ back to Kai’s?” He finally asked, watching as Aichi put his shoes back on.

Aichi said nothing.

“Well… if you ever wanna break from him, you can always come back here. We can fight, ‘n’ watch more movies, ‘n’ take more naps, 'n’ other stuff, too.”

Aichi opened the door and stepped out into the warm evening air.

“Y-Yer really okay, right, Aichi?”

With a sigh, Aichi gave a flat, “yes.”

Naoki sighed in relief. “G'night, then.”

Aichi hadn’t even turned to look at him.

–

Arriving back at Kai’s apartment, Aichi noticed the extra pair of shoes as he took his own off at the door. They looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t quite place them off the top of his head.

Then he made his way towards the living room, and their owner came into view– Suzugamori Ren laid out across the bed, all comfortable like he owned the place.

“Ah! Void-kun!” He sat up and gave a cheery little wave.

Aichi’s stomach turned. “W-What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been waiting for you, silly!” He got off the bed and approached Aichi, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling something out. “Here!” He thrust it at the other, who flinched away before realizing what it was– a heal trigger. “You dropped this in the alley after the tournament! Good thing I noticed, though, right? At least it wasn’t something super rare!”

Hesitantly, Aichi reached out and took the card, entire body on edge, bracing for a sudden move that never came. “I-It’s just a common… I already replaced it.”

“Jeeze, that’s no way to thank someone!” He turned to Kai, pointing back over his shoulder. “Kaaaai! You really need to teach this one some manners!”

“I’m not a miracle worker,” Kai said from his place at the desk.

Ren cocked his head. “Really? But only a wizard could check triggers like you!” He looked back at Aichi and shrugged. “Guess you learn something every day, huh? Well, it’s super late, and I did what I came here to do. I’d love to stay, but I’ve got to go!”

With another wave goodbye, Ren was out the door.

“How was Ishida?”

No reply. Kai looked up, and saw Aichi wasn’t there.

Ren stopped on the sidewalk, apparently aware of the other panting behind him.

Hands on his knees, Aichi didn’t even wait to catch his breath before he asked, “what… did you… do to me…?”

“Hm?” Ren swiveled around on his heel. “What do you mean?”

Finally standing up straight, he met Ren’s gaze and repeated, firmer this time, “what did you do to me?”

“I tore you apart!” Ren smiled. “I thought you’d remember that for sure.”

“I don’t mean that,” he hissed. “You did something else, and I can already tell something’s wrong with me now. What. Did. You. Do?”

Ren thought about it for a second, then snapped his fingers in realization. “Ah!” He leaned down, his hand meeting Aichi’s shoulder, and his lips meeting Aichi’s own.

Though rather chaste and short-lived, the kiss was still a kiss, and Aichi jumped back, fingers flying to his mouth. “W-What!?”

“That’s what I did!”

Blood crept into Aichi’s face, and he twisted away in a hurry so Ren couldn’t see. “T-That can’t be it. You’re lying.”

“It’s no lie! That’s all I did, promise!”

“Why?”

“Hmm… no particular reason! Just a little smooch between friends, you know? By the way, you have super soft lips. You must take really good care of them!”

Aichi grumbled. “I’m. Going now.”

“Okay! I hope the answer satisfied you! Goodnight, Void-kun!”

When Aichi returned to the apartment, Kai asked, “where did you go again?”

“To talk to Ren-san.”

“Hm.” Though Aichi hoped he’d drop it, Kai instead blinked and added, “why are you all red?”

“I, I don’t know!” he blurted. “I don’t know! I don’t understand why this body does anything it does! I don’t understand humans! You’re all so stupid and confusing and I wish you’d all just leave me alone!”

“Yeah, that’s a pretty common sentiment,” Kai said.

Aichi huffed and flopped down on the futon. Playing pretend was getting to be more trouble than it was worth.

(His thoughts keep drifting though– back to the dream, back to Naoki’s voice murmuring 'but I’m yours,’ back to Ren’s lips. Something is wrong. Something is wrong, wrong, wrong.)


	20. twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> naoki can't lie for shit my dudes

As soon as Naoki answered the door, Aichi shoved the card into his hands as if it were a time bomb.

Naoki furrowed his brows. "This is...?"

"The heal I borrowed from you. I found my old one."

His expression lightened, and he held it back out. "S'just a common, you can kee--"

"Take it," Aichi said, voice firm.

Drawing his arms back towards himself, Naoki nodded once, slowly. "Uh... okay, then, if yer sure." He gestured over his shoulder with a thumb. "Y'wanna come in?"

"No." He turned around. "I'm through with this."

"Eh?" Naoki scratched his head. "Whazzat s'posed t'mean?"

"I'm bored of you. I don't want to see you or hear you or interact with you anymore. I gave you your card back, so I don't owe you anything. There's no reason for us to contact one another now."

"... Wha?" He slapped the door frame, digging his nails into the wood. "N-No way... yer not serious, Aichi!"

His heart jumped particularly hard, and he grimaced. "I'm not here to play with humans. You should be honoured I even paid you any attention at all."

"But there's still so much y'gotta do! We still haven't gone to the arcade! An'-- an'-- the new Galaxyslinger Versus Rayzon movie comes out next week!! An' I still gotta pay you back for the double crit at three the other day!!"

"None of that concerns me."

"You can't just leave!! You can't!!" Naoki leapt forward, reaching for the other, but his hand touched nothing but air. Aichi had already started walking. "W-Wait!! Wait, Aichi!"

Thump. Aichi grit his teeth and continued.

"Aichi!" Naoki called down the driveway. "Aichi!!"

His voice lodged itself in Aichi's heart and filled his brain with fog, thoughts slowing but pulse quickening all at once. He stopped right at the curb, too dizzy to walk another step-- why, why was this happening now? Why was this becoming so difficult?

Fingers locked around his wrist. "H-Hey--!! ... Huh..." He blinked. "You okay? Y'feel really hot..."

Aichi grunted and brought his other hand to his reddening face, breathing deeply, trying to clear his head. "I'm... fine..."

"No, no, y'don't look fine at all... here, c'mon." He tugged Aichi's wrist, back towards the house.

"Let... go..." He tried to step forward, but only stumbled, and Naoki had to reel him back.

"Y'can't even walk right!" He spun Aichi around to face him, then wrapped his arms around him and lifted him up, practically slinging him over his shoulder. "Listen, if ya really wanna go away, I can't stop ya. But at least rest a lil first, okay?"

Aichi was too lightheaded to argue, and wound up laid out on Naoki's couch, some part of him disappointed at the sudden distance between their bodies. It wasn't a part he liked much.

"I'm gonna go get a cold cloth for yer head, so jus' hang tight, got it?"

Once he'd left the room, Aichi carefully sat up. Everything was spinning, and the edges of his vision were speckled with white, but he had to leave. Things would only get worse if he didn't. He braced himself before rising to his feet, inch by agonizing inch. One foot in front of the other, one, two-- then he was crashing, the floor rushing towards him--

He never met it. Naoki was halfway to the floor himself, arms under Aichi's own, holding him up. The rag sat dejected nearby, not nearly as lucky. "H-Hey... I gotcha. Here," and Naoki gently maneuvered him to get him sitting on the edge of the couch, "juss lay down 'n' rest fer now, Aichi."

Suddenly he couldn't think of anything except Naoki, except Naoki's arms around him. When those arms threatened to leave, he wrapped his own around their owner in response, keeping them there. Then he leaned back, trying to pull Naoki down with him.

"U-Uh... what, y'want me t'lay down with ya or somethin'? You tryna get me sick, too?"

Aichi just murmured something nondescript, and Naoki sighed.

"Alright, alright," and after some rearranging, the two were curled together, Naoki's arm slung loosely over Aichi's shoulder as Aichi clung close.

Naoki was so warm-- so, so warm. Aichi wanted that warmth all to himself. "Naoki-kun..." His hands moved up past his back, past his shoulders, and came to rest on the back of his head, fingertips working their way into his hair.

"U-Uh... Aichi," and he raised his brows as he felt the other shiver against him, "yer heart's beatin' real fast... like, I can feel it just layin' here... maybe I should call someone..."

Aichi smiled, softer than Naoki had seen all this time. "It's because I'm with you."

"Wh--"

The hands at his head push his face close to the other's. Aichi remembered it then, at least a bit-- the feeling of Ren's lips at the seed, the feeling of Ren's strength in his kiss.

Moving his head just enough, Aichi bridged the gap.

Naoki yanked himself back, sitting up. "W-Woah!! Wait, you...!"

Aichi just stared at him expectantly, watching his cheeks flush just as much as his own.

"Y-Y'can't just...! What are you even doin'!?"

"I want to be closer to you," he said, voice quiet and airy, "I want to be warm."

The shock on Naoki's face softened. "Uh... wha?" He sat there for a few more moments, eyes darting here and there and everywhere, as if trying to figure out what to do. Finally, he swallowed his dry mouth and lowered himself back down. "Y'must be really sick, huh..."

He didn't fight Aichi's kiss, then. It wasn't particularly involved-- in fact, it was almost hesitant, like Aichi didn't know what he was really doing. As their lips came away, Naoki made to sit up, but Aichi grabbed a fistful of his shirt and yanked him back down.

A light seemed to come on somewhere in his head, and the next kiss held far more determination. Within Sendou Aichi's memories laid several intimate moments with Kai Toshiki, ones that floated to the surface of his subconscious and showed him where to go, ones with which he'd surely be disgusted had his mind been clearer.

Compared to those memories, Naoki... was not a very good kisser. Though at first he seemed to hold back, to just let Aichi do as he pleased, it didn't take him long to begin reciprocating in turn. It was sloppy and awkward, teeth meeting teeth, mouth slipping just a little too far to either side-- but it was earnest, Naoki matching each little noise in Aichi's throat with renewed vigor.

Lightning cut through the growing static under Aichi's skin, lips numb, body warm and buzzing. Naoki would murmur his name into his mouth, and he would shudder and whine with the swell of his heart, over and over, until Aichi knew the other had to have figured it out.

There was nothing, then, nothing else beyond that lighting in his veins, nothing else beyond the warmth deep in his chest, nothing else beyond Ishida Naoki.

And then a door opened at the front of the house, and Naoki froze before jolting up. "S-Someone's home...!?"

Aichi didn't care if someone was home, didn't even comprehend the meaning of the words, but despite his desperate attempts to hook his nails into Naoki's shirt and keep him there, Naoki leapt off the couch and dashed out of the room.

"H-Hey...! Y-Yer sure back early, Bro...!!"

"Yeah, I finished everything up quicker than usual, so they let me go. The hell's your face all red for?"

Aichi groaned as he listened to the conversation occurring rooms away, fog slowly dissipating from his skull.

"W-Wha? Is my face red?"

"Yeah, dude, you look like a mess. You got a girl in your room or something?"

"N-N-N-No!! M-My friend and I-- we-- uh, we were racing each other from the card shop, and he collapsed! Yeah, so I brought 'im back here 'n' he's restin' on the couch 'n' it's just been real stressful y'know!?"

Silence, and then: "Yeah, if you say so."

Naoki finally returned to the living room and sat down with a sigh next to Aichi, who'd himself sat up at some point during Naoki's absence.

"Sorry 'bout that."

Aichi just 'hm'd.

"Uh... you feelin' better now?"

No reply.

"I mean, guess y'gotta be 'cuz yer givin' me the cold shoulder." Still nothing. Naoki shifted in place. "Soooo... uh... what now?"

"What do you mean," Aichi asked flatly.

"I mean. We kinda just," and his voice got quieter with each word, until it was barely a peep, "made out?"

Another groan, and Aichi rubbed at his temples. "I was hoping you wouldn't remind me."

"What even happened? I mean, one second yer tellin' me y'don't wanna see me again, then the next yer mackin' on me? Talk about mixed messages."

Only a tad unsteady now, Aichi got to his feet.

"Wait, yer leavin already?" Naoki jumped up too, primed to catch the other should he topple over again. "You sure yer okay?"

"Yes."

"At least lemme walk you home. Don't want you trippin' 'n' bustin' yer ass on the side of the road all alone."

Aichi contemplated it for a moment before walking past him. "Come on, then," he grumbled.

(Aichi takes the doorknob of Kai's apartment.

"It was weird," Naoki says behind him, "definitely weird. But... I dunno, I didn't mind it."

"... What are you getting at?"

"I dunno! I dunno, I juss... I know y'said y'didn't wanna see me anymore. If yer bein' serious, it's okay. But... the arcade restocks all the UFO catchers next weekend, 'n' I mean... y'still haven't been, 'n'..."

Aichi stands there for a few moments before twisting the knob. "Go home."

Naoki nods once, even though the other isn't even facing him. "Seeya, Aichi."

There's the thump in Aichi's chest, and there's the thump of the door closing.)


	21. twenty one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aka the part ive had sitting in my head since i started this fic

He's all alone in a sea of red flowers, until Naoki takes his hand and smiles.

For some reason, he can't help but smile back.

"Pretty, ain't it?"

The blooms sway around them as darkness claims another piece of Sendou Aichi.

\---

It'd been half an hour already. Naoki rereads the message he'd sent to Aichi for the 20th time, as if being extra-extra-extra sure he'd sent it to the right person, and that it even sent at all. They hadn't spoken for a week, and not for a lack of Naoki trying-- their recent message history consisted only of a couple of unanswered 'hey's.

So maybe Aichi really had ditched him. No, not even Aichi, just some... freaky bees in his body, or something. There wasn't any reason to be upset about it, Naoki knew, because Void wasn't one of The Good Guys, and the entire reason for interacting with it was based in some shaky hope that he could keep it from wanting to do its Bad Guy Thing, that he himself could prove that humans shouldn't be... eaten, or, changed, or whatever Void did with the things it absorbed. It's not as though he expected to succeed, being one measly guy trying to talk down a cosmic horror and all, but the situation was looking strangely promising all things considered. In the end, despite this outcome being logical, it still hurt.

Finally, he shoved his phone in his pocket and turned to leave just as the arcade doors opened for someone else, who immediately crashed into him and fell back onto the sidewalk.

"... Aichi?" It took him a moment to register before his eyes widened. "O-Oh! Sorry!! Didn't even know you were comin'!"

Ignoring the hand outstretched to him, Aichi got to his feet and grumbled, "Just show me this catcher game so I can leave."

Naoki beamed as he led the other into the maze of cabinets.

\---

Aichi stopped at the sight of Soryuu Leon drinking tea at Kai's desk. Sharlene and Jillian sat on the edge of the bed, and Kai himself leaned against the wall near the desk. It seemed they'd been having a conversation, but the sound of the front door opening had them pause, and he'd only caught a few syllables.

Leon sat his cup down on the desk. "We meet again."

Aichi met his sour look with a smile. "Did you come all this way just to see me? I'm flattered."

"What's that?" Kai asked, motioning his chin in Aichi's vague direction.

"Mm, this?" Aichi held up the little keychain, Naoki's voice still fresh in his mind-- _'Woah! Vangarou! He's so new, didn't think they'd already have merch!'_ \-- "Naoki-kun bumped into me, so I made him win it for me. At least he was excited about it."

"You aren't the only one enabling it, then." Leon stood, casting a glance at Kai.

Aichi snorted. "Jealous?"

Rather than reply, Leon simply stated, "Jillian. Sharlene."

On cue, the two girls nodded and left the bed to flank Aichi's sides, each grabbing an arm and locking it within their own.

"What? Let go!" Aichi made to shove them away, but they held tight. The more he struggled, the harder they kept him glued in place-- they were far stronger than they looked.

Kai stepped away from the wall, but didn't get much farther before Leon stuck a palm out at him. "What are you doing?"

"Saving Sendou-san," and a strange breeze ruffled his hair as light filled his eyes.

"You..." Aichi hissed and fought harder, but the girls remained stalwart.

"You're not getting out of this," Jillian growled.

"Yeah!" Sharlene added, "So just be good and stay still, please!"

Aichi wouldn't have stood still for all the 'please's in the world. Swirling light overtook his own eyes, then, and the pain that came with it was what paralyzed him.

When Ren used Psyqualia, it was an act of domination, a one-sided exertion of power that made Void a captive of his undefiable image. This was different-- this was an attempt at conversation, or a rope thrown down the well. Leon's Psyqualia resonated within Aichi's body, calling out for him, and even asleep, his own Psyqualia answered loud and clear.

Aichi shrieked as his skull began cracking-- or, at least, felt like it was. Searing heat rippled under his skin, blood like molten lead, burning through muscle, charring bone. For all the noise that came from his mouth, the screams and sobs and _no, no,_ Void couldn't dull the sensations, couldn't stop what had been started.

Aichi's body was rejecting Void, eating away at the roots ensnaring his heart, eroding what grip the seed had managed to take. That seed had come so close to sprouting, so close to regaining just enough strength to ensure its own life. Without that strength, it couldn't possibly replant itself. There was only one outcome, then: death.

Void had come so far. If it'd just had a little more time! It could've recovered...! It could've lived...! Yet that time hadn't been granted, and so it struggled, struggled, hopelessly. It would never see the perfection it had spent so long chasing. For all its efforts to survive, it would still die, small and weak and pitiful.

Had it not been in so much pain, it would've laughed as one particular thought seemed to catch itself on the edges of Void's fading mind: _I didn't even say goodbye to..._

Through vision blurred by tears and ever-encroaching blackness, Aichi saw movement.

Then the weight disappeared from his arms, and his legs gave out, but he never met the floor.

"Leon-sama!"

All the sounds around him seemed distant, as if he were underwater. He thought he could make out the girls, kneeling together, and something from between them asked, "what are you doing!?"

Kai was-- holding onto him, he realized-- maybe--

"Sendou-san isn't the one in pain! Even if it's hard to watch, this is the best chance we have!"

A whimper left his mouth of its own accord as Kai ran his hand through his hair.

"Are you really going to protect it!?"

Silence.

Then, Leon got up off the ground, the girls following suit. "You understand you're betraying him if you do this."

"I can handle this problem myself," Kai finally said. "I don't need your help."

Without any further protests, the three visitors saw themselves to the door. Leon stopped just as he passed Kai. "If you don't do something soon, then I will. I won't allow you to endanger this world again."

The door closed behind them, and Kai exhaled, as if he'd been holding his breath for some time. "Are you okay?"

"We..." Though the pain had lifted, confusion still lingered in Aichi's brain, and tremors still wracked his limbs. "We don't know..."

Gently, Kai lowered them both to their knees, keeping his arms wound around the other.

Had Aichi been in a stronger state of mind, his hands might not have wandered at all, but as he was, he found them clinging weakly to the sides of Kai's shirt. "Why did... you save us?"

"Just rest now."

Aichi nodded once, laying his head into the crook of Kai's shoulder and closing his eyes.

(He falls asleep there, and Kai slowly brings his body to the floor with him, wondering if he's made another mistake. His gaze snags on the little keychain, laying all alone nearby, and well, it's too late to wonder now-- so he lets himself drift off as well.)


	22. twenty two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> don͂ͫͮ̂̎̓'ͪ̓̎̑͊t you ̱̜re̙̥̬͕̦͖mem̭̤͇b̩̝̥̮͙er̻̬̼̻͔?

"Kai-kun."

His eyes fluttered open.

Aichi's face loomed over his, lips curving tenderly, gaze soft and blue, so blue.

"You're...?"

Aichi nodded. "Me."

Despite the familiarity, something wasn't right. "How?" He searched his features, trying to puzzle it out.

"What Leon-san did jostled me loose, I guess."

It hit him all of a sudden. There wasn't a trace of the light Aichi's eyes once held. His building relief collapsed in an instant. "And Void is..."

"Resting," Aichi said with a nod. "You saved it."

Kai sat up and looked around. They definitely weren't in his room-- maybe they weren't even on Earth at all. All that surrounded them was infinite blackness, interrupted here and there only by deep splotches of twitching, pulsating crimson.

"When it's regained some strength, it'll come back out."

He couldn't bring himself to look at the other, instead fixing his stare on his own lap. "Are you upset I saved it?"

"Why would I be?"

Hesitantly, Kai looked up.

Aichi's smile was gentle as ever.

"It's... eating away at you, isn't it?"

"Because it loves me." His legs found their way on either side of Kai's hips. "It loves me just like it loves Ren-san, and Naoki-kun, and..." He took Kai's face into his hands, deliberately, lovingly. "... you, Kai-kun."

"What...?"

"It hurt at first. It was cold, and dark, and lonely. The more it took of me, though... the more I understood." He leaned in close.

Kai shivered as the words ghosted across his ear.

"Being loved by the Void is like being loved by the entire universe."

"But you're disappearing-- you're--"

"Its love is changing me... more and more... eventually, that love will become my entire being..."

"You can't!" Kai's voice came out louder than he wanted. "I don't want to lose you, Aichi!"

Aichi cocked his head, like some kind of weird puppy. "Then why did you save it?"

His eyes widened.

"Ah..." Aichi's hands moved down, to his shoulders, and without resistance, gingerly pushed Kai's back into the ground. "It's because you remember what its love felt like, isn't it?"

"I..."

"You've regretted rejecting it all this time, haven't you?" One hand drifted low, lower, only to hide itself under Kai's shirt. Cold fingers traced across warm skin, settling against a heart beating faster and faster. "But you have another chance now. It loves you, Kai-kun, so much. More than it's ever loved anyone or anything else."

"N-No-- that's not what I--"

"Accept it. Its power, its will, its love... let it embed them into your heart. Let it change you, just like it's changing me. Just like it'll change all of us."

Kai practically threw him off before scooting back, trying and failing to mask the unease in his expression.

Aichi's smile hadn't wavered even once.

"This isn't... this isn't right-- you're not yourself."

Being tossed aside hadn't fazed him at all. He sat up on his knees, focus never wavering. "But weren't you the one who wanted the darkness to swallow me up?"

Aichi might as well have punched him in the gut. "No, I... I was..." At that time, Void had given him the power over Aichi he'd wanted, and he ran with it. It was the desire of a madman, of a beast he'd only recently collared. To see the outcome of that desire before him now, living and breathing-- it stole all the words from his throat.

Crawling close, Aichi reached out to take the other's hands. "You don't have to be sad, or afraid. It feels incredible like this. If I'd known this is how it'd feel... I would've never resisted Reverse."

"No!" Kai wrenched out of Aichi's hold to grab his shoulders, gripping them hard enough that a wince rippled through the other's contented expression. "I won't let this happen! I won't let you disappear!"

"Will you let Void die, then?" he replied, voice low, sharp. "Will you kill it with your own hands?"

 _'Yes'_... is what Kai wanted to say-- or, it's what he knew he should want to say. Either way, it didn't come out. Nothing did.

"It's alright, Kai-kun." His tone was airy again, almost hypnotic. "Soon, you'll be able to tell it those three words you've always told me, and your heart will finally open. You'll be reborn within its love."

He couldn't speak. He couldn't move. All he could do was stare at Aichi, terror and guilt mixing with inklings of sick excitement, shredding his insides apart.

"It's waking up now." Aichi closed his eyes. "Take care of it, alright? It's still fragile."

"D-Don't--" The words came out pathetic, but at least they came out at all. "Don't go back to sleep-- please--"

Aichi's lips silenced his, and he breathed into him, "We love you."

And the blackness cracked and fell away in great shards, and Aichi fell with them.

Kai's hand shot out to grab the other's wrist, but air was all his fingers met.

His arm stretched up towards the ceiling. Cold sweat had stuck his clothes to his body. He'd fallen asleep with Aichi on the floor, yet had woken up alone. It took a few minutes for the discomfort still bubbling in his stomach to pass, and once it had, he slowly got to his feet.

Aichi wasn't there. Kai even checked in the bathroom, poked his head into the closet-- no sign of him. When he noticed the other's shoes weren't at the door, his first impulse was to put his own on and go find him.

Instead, he took a grounding breath and headed into the kitchen, pulling out a pan he'd need to make dinner.

Something told him Aichi would come back eventually. Maybe he'd be hungry.

(It's one in the morning. There's leftovers in the fridge. Kai sits on the edge of the bed, occupied by nothing but his thoughts.

The front door opens.)


End file.
